


Blueberry Scone

by ohnoshefell



Series: Blueberry Scone Verse [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Friends to Lovers, Gendrya - Freeform, Idiots in Love, Miscommunication, Mutual Pining, arya is having a bad day, but doesn't know how to act on his feelings, gendry is in looooove
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-15
Updated: 2019-11-22
Packaged: 2020-10-06 19:42:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 23,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20512436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohnoshefell/pseuds/ohnoshefell
Summary: Arya and Gendry have been in the same class for nearly a month and have never spoken to each other outside of class. It isn't until Arya has one bad day and Gendry buys the last blueberry scone at the campus bakery they each go to every morning that things actually take a turn for these two.Friendship blossoms from misunderstanding and from a friendship blossoms love.





	1. Maybe Today Isn't So Bad After All

**Author's Note:**

> New story, same idiots in love.

Arya thinks she can find the upside to most days. She's never really considered herself a negative person. She always finds a silver lining. But today just isn't her day. She woke up way too early and went to her first class of the day only to find out it was cancelled, then received four angry texts from her mother, each of them enough to sour her mood for the whole day. Then she got an email from Professor Baelish, who gave her a C+ on her paper which was deserving of an A, B+ bare minimum. It was enough to say her day was off to a pretty shitty start. Nonetheless, she had other classes to attend and other things to do.

And now she has to deal with this shit.

She walked into the bakery with a scowl etched all over her face, pausing for a few minutes to retrieve her wallet out of her bag and muttering a quiet 'fuck' when she dropped her wallet to the floor. She had been going to pick it up but ended up bumping her head against another reaching for her wallet.

"Ow! What in seven- oh." Arya's scowl dropped once she saw who it was. _Gendry, that's his name. _He always sat in the seat behind hers in their Westerosi Art History class and was always in Brienne's bakery every morning same as she was. They'd never spoken outside of class. 

Gendry was rubbing his head and trying to get his hair out of his face so he could look at her properly,"I think you dropped this." He shrugged sheepishly.

His voice was softer than when he used it in class to answer a question or make a point or counter argue any of hers.

She snatched the wallet out of his hand,"You thought right. Thanks." 

Gendry nodded his head in response before speaking again,"you alright?"

She looks taken aback by his question. This whole conversation was already enough to rattle her mind. They'd never spoken five words to one another outside of class.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" She didn't really know if opening up about her problems she faced that morning would make her feel a little lighter or just spur her anger on even more.

"Dunno, you just look really mad. My mistake."

She eyed him carefully before sighing,"I'm just having a bad day is all."

Anybody that looked at her could tell she was having a bad day and all got promptly out of her way as she walked into the bakery earlier.

"No kidding-" She glared at him,"I just mean it looks like you're having a bad day. Sorry, I didn't mean to overstep."

Arya dropped her glare, "It's fine."

He stared at her, like he was taking several mental notes before he introduced himself,"I'm Gendry by the way."

"I know. We have class together."

He smiled at her, pleasantly surprised that she knew who he was before she started speaking again,"I'm-"

"Arya. I know too."

She eyed him carefully, fighting off the blush creeping up to her cheeks. Nobody ever really noticed her before.

She was going to respond before her phone started ringing, she shot him a glance and he nodded his head before turning to walk to the counter to order.

"Hey Sansa. No I'm at Brienne's. Nah I have class all the way on the other side of campus so I'm driving today. Yeah. Yeah, Westerosi Art History. Uh huh. Okay. I'll see you later tonight okay. Yeah. Love you too, bye Sans." She hung up the phone and walked up to the counter to order. Gendry was all the way on the other side of the counter waiting for whatever he ordered to be ready.

"Hey Brienne." Arya might have been having a bad day but she managed to find a smile for Brienne.

"Hey Arya, what'll it be today?" Brienne had always been fond of Arya ever since she started coming to the bakery every morning for a year now since starting university last year.

"The usual."

Brienne frowned at Arya,"Sorry love, I just sold the last one from the morning batch." 

Arya's eyes widened in surprise. Who could've possibly bought her blueberry scone?

"One blueberry scone for-" Hot Pie smiled as he read the name,"Gendry!" 

Arya turned her head to see Gendry reaching for the scone and then smiling her way. She said goodbye to Brienne, turned to shoot a glare Gendry's way who looked more confused than ever, and then promptly turned around and left the bakery.

She would've stayed to argue with him about buying the treat he knew she bought every morning, but she had to drop off a textbook with Meera in Baelor Hall before driving to class.

All she could think about while she was in her car in a worse for wear mood while her stomach grumbled was how irritated she was with Gendry Waters.

* * *

Dropping off the textbook to Meera takes longer than she'd like but she supposes it's alright since it's Meera. She's driving up the block and making the turn to park in her spot that she always parks at when she sees a beater truck pull into her spot. She looks closer and sees that familiar head full of black hair and finds her scowl painting itself over her features. She had been so close to the parking spot, so close. He seems entirely unaware of the heated gaze being aimed his way and all the better for him because if looks could kill, he would be six feet under.

He walks into the building and catches her gaze from his side eye and chances a wave and a smile before reaching in his bag to presumably show her something. Arya just keeps her glare fixed and drives forward. She had to find parking if she wanted to get to class and in the familiarity of her seat with time to spare.

She thinks she feels her irritation grow just a bit.

* * *

She finds parking 3 blocks away after driving around five blocks for more time than she'd like but she's finally parked and headed to class and immediately does not like what she sees. 

_Him _in _her _seat. She cannot believe it, truly and full well cannot believe it. It's as if there wasn't a perfectly good seat next to _hers _that he could sit in, nevermind the fact that all the other seats were already taken.

Arya thinks this might be the worst day she's ever had in all her time at Kings Landing. She also thinks a great part of it is because of the tall and broad boy sitting in her too small for him seat. 

* * *

Maybe it was because he bought the last blueberry scone at 'Brienne's Bakery' even though he saw her buy one every morning before class. Or maybe it's because he parked in her parking spot today despite seeing her make the turn to move forward. She had to circle around the five block radius for 15 minutes before a spot finally opened up. Maybe it's because he decides to sit in her seat in their Westerosi Art History class 3 weeks into the semester after he bought _her _scone and snagged _her_ parking spot, but Arya Stark thinks she doesn't like Gendry Waters very much.

She glares daggers into the back of his head before she walks over to sit in the seat beside him and trips over his book bag. She hears him snort behind her.

No. Arya Stark doesn't think she dislikes Gendry Waters. Arya Stark is **_certain _**she doesn't like Gendry Waters. At all.

* * *

"Gods, you wouldn't believe it Shireen. I mean he just stole my scone!"

"Did you buy the scone?"

"No, but-"

"Then he didn't steal it." Shireen chastised her roommate.

"Ugh, that's not the point. He sees me there every morning and knows I buy that scone. All of a sudden, Brienne makes a short batch and he buys it right from under my nose right when I'm about to go in for the kill! I mean, it's despicable! Honestly." Arya let out an exasperated sigh and Shireen couldn't help but giggle to herself at how dramatic Arya was being.

"And then he steals my parking spot and then my seat, Shireen, my seat!"

Shireen rolled her eyes at Arya before remembering that they were talking over the phone and Arya couldn't see her,"I rolled my eyes at you. Listen, if it's this much of a problem then talk to him about it, ask him why he mercilessly stole your scone and spot and seat."

Arya scoffed on the other side of the line,"Why on earth would I talk to the person who has wronged me?"

"To find out why he wronged you?? Look, I gotta go, Arya. I'm about to head into my math lecture. I'll see you and Meera tonight at home, alright?"

"Alright, see you later. Give 'em hell." 

Shireen laughed on the other side of the line before she hung up. Arya huffed out a puff of air before getting up from her comfy seat positioned in the back of Brienne's bakery.

She packed all her things into her bag and walked towards the counter to say goodbye to her favorite bakers, Brienne and Hot Pie.

"That's me off, I'll see the pair of you tomorrow morning." Arya says, her mood slightly recovering after having a hot chocolate and cherry danish. _Still not a blueberry scone though _her mind bit back bitterly.

Brienne smiled at Arya, her favorite regular,"See you tomorrow love. Did you end up getting the scone after all?" Brienne asked.

Arya didn't know if she was just trying to tease her, or if she was genuinely being serious. All the same, the question had confusion working its way all over Arya's face.

"No Brienne, you sold the last one before I ordered, remember?"

Brienne looked at Arya funny,"Yes I remember, but I thought you got it after he gave it to you. At least that's what he said he was planning on doing." 

Arya looked at Brienne entirely confused,"Who?"

"That tall fella that ordered before you did. He was talking to you before you ordered. Hot Pie knows him. Hot Pie what was the name of the boy who bought the blueberry scone for Arya?"

Hot Pie looked up from frosting the cupcakes to smile Arya's way,"Gendry!"

Arya looked between the two bakers,"He didn't buy it _for _me."

Hot Pie laughed,"Of course he did, Arya. I've known Gendry all my life. He hates blueberries."

Arya felt her eyes widen and her mouth drop open a little,"huh."

Brienne sent a smile her way,"Yeah. At first I didn't know he bought it for you but after you left he looked pretty put out. Hot Pie asked him what was wrong and he said you left before he could give you the scone."

Arya didn't know what to think. Her mind was reeling, she thought he bought her scone to spite her. Not for her.

Hot Pie took Arya's silence as an opportunity to speak,"He's coming back in an hour if you still want that scone, it'll be a little cold but we can heat it up for you."

Arya stared at Hot Pie,"How do you know when he'll be back?"

Hot Pie planted his same cheery smile on his face,"We're roommates! He comes here almost everyday in the morning and around lunch time."

Arya nodded before she decided she'd stay and wait for the person who she thought 'wronged' her. Shireen was right, she should just talk to him.

In her time waiting for him Arya decided on few things.

Maybe she was wrong about Gendry and really didn't know him outside of class. Maybe she didn't dislike Gendry Waters. And maybe she would get a blueberry scone today.

She still wanted to know why he stole her seat and snagged her parking spot, but she could forget about that for now, because he got her a scone.

The hour passes by before she even realizes and the bells above the door chime and she looks up and sees him walk in. She isn't as surprised to see him as he is to see her, that much is clear.

She walks up to him and stops when she's standing in front of him,"I believe you have my blueberry scone."

Gendry looked at her, a little scared from how much she glared at him all morning before nodding his head. She gestured him over so he could sit at her table with her.

"I meant to give this to you earlier but-"

"I left the store like a grumpy toddler. I know."

Gendry let out a laugh,"your words, not mine."

"Why'd you get me the scone anyways?"

Gendry's cheeks turned pink and she thought he looked adorable.

"You said you were having a bad day. Figured I'd try to make it a little better."

Arya was caught off guard by his response,"But we don't even know each other. We only see each other in class."

Gendry smiled a sincere smile at Arya,"No, we don't know each other. But I want to know you."

Arya smiles back and decides on one more thing.

Maybe today isn't so bad after all.


	2. You Stole Something of Mine Too

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arya and Gendry get to talking about blueberry scones, stolen parking spots and seats, and they get to knowing each other a little better and mayhaps Gendry develops a teensy weensy crush on the girl who glares at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These two never let the other get a word in edgewise and would we expect anything else?

Arya Stark wasn't somebody who you would consider to blush very easily or very much at all. But she found herself doing both of these things under the gaze of her classmate, Gendry Waters, in Brienne's Bakery.

Gendry couldn't help but smile at her, feeling more confident now than when he first sat down with her at her table. He figured if she waited long enough for her scone, he may as well be honest with her.

"Re-heated blueberry scone for...?" Hot Pie paused, looking in the direction of Gendry and Arya's table before smiling at the both of them,"The two idiots in the back!"

Gendry rolled his eyes before getting up to go get the blueberry scone for Arya.

"Thanks for that, mate." Gendry said sarcastically at Hot Pie, who only grinned cheerily back at him.

"Any time old friend."

"You are a right pain in my ass-"

"As are you in mine, you're standing here, squabbling with me, when there's a perfectly beautiful and smart girl over there waiting for you to give her a blueberry scone. Nevermind the fact that all you do is talk about her. Although I suppose it's fitting, you actually speak to her and you don't speak-"

Gendry glared at Hot Pie and snatched the blueberry scone from him,"Alright I get it. I'm off. Wish me luck."

"Atta boy. Luck, my handsome friend." Hot Pie smiled. Gendry didn't let him see the smile he wore on his face at Hot Pie's encouragement.

He plopped himself back down in the seat across from Arya's before setting the blueberry scone down before her.

"One blueberry scone, m'lady." 

Arya gave Gendry a funny look at that,"Don't call me that."

Gendry nodded his head but voiced no agreements.

Arya let the blueberry scone cool down while she stared at Gendry,"So to reiterate, you bought this scone that you _never _buy to give to me?"

Gendry felt himself blushing before nodding his head.

"Because I was having a bad day?"

Another nod.

"And you want to get to know me?"

A smile this time,"Yes. I want to know you."

"If you bought the scone for me, why didn't you give it to me in class?" The thought crossed her mind. He had time before to give her the scone, not just here in the bakery both in the morning and now.

Gendry shrugged sheepishly,"Your mood seemed to have gotten worse than when I had seen you earlier in the bakery. Plus I tried to talk to you in class today, to give you the scone. But you ignored me. And any other time that you acknowledged me in class today, it was just to glare at me. You do it really well by the way." 

Arya nodded her head in understanding, suddenly very embarrassed by her behavior in class earlier today. He had tried to talk to her, that much was true. And she did glare at him every time so he wasn't wrong. But it's not like she was mad for no reason. He stole her seat and her parking spot!

Arya smiled again and decided to take a civil approach in discussing his other minor acts committed against her favor earlier that day.

"You stole my parking spot." Is it civil? Absolutely. Is it a good way to start off the conversation? Judging by his wide eyes, parted lips and the reddening of the tips of his ears, probably not.

"Your parking spot?" He asks, trying to keep his voice light.

Her face falls flat,"You said my mood worsened, so I'm telling you why." She paused and looked at him to make sure she wasn't scaring him with how seriously she took her parking spot and seat in class. After seeing him make himself even more comfortable in the chair across from hers, she continues,"Where you parked today. That's where I always park, everyday since the semester started, until today, after you got there before I did."

Gendry looks at her, amusement clear on his face now,"Do you own that small section of property in front of Crone's Hall?" 

Arya's eyes widen, very clearly not expecting that response from him. She almost narrows her eyes before remembering she did enough of that to him today. She settles for a straight face and an arched eyebrow.

"No. I do not."

Gendry smiles,"I guess you'll just have to get there before me then if you want that parking spot."

Arya lets out a sigh. _He's proving to be more difficult than anyone would ever give him credit for. _

"Alright well, you stole my seat. You stole a lot of things from me today." She doesn't resist narrowing her eyes at him this time.

"You stole something of mine too." He muttered under his breath.

"Huh? Would you mind saying that again? I didn't hear you." She frowned.

Gendry shakes his head and looks at her,"Nothing I was just asking what else I stole?"

Arya eyes him,"Oh. Nothing that was it. Scone, Spot, Seat. It seems you have a pattern." She muses, stroking an imaginary beard on her chin, causing him to laugh.

"Well technically, I didn't steal your scone. I bought it. For you. That, you and I, have already established. As for the parking spot, that's fair game." He smiled at her mischievously.

Arya felt a blush creeping up her cheeks and nodded,"I suppose that's fair. But, you did steal my seat. And that is a totally justifiable claim because it is _my _seat, you can't just switch seats 3 weeks into the term, it's an unspoken agreement between me, you and all the other students in that classroom." Arya said, jutting her chin out defiantly. 

Gendry cracked a smile and let out an amused laugh,"While that's true, I do have good reason to have sat in your seat."

Arya rolled her eyes,"I'm sure you do. Go on." She gestured with her hands for him to continue and Gendry found himself blushing in turn.

He scratched the back of his neck nervously, not meeting her eyes,"Your chair was wobbly."

Arya's eyebrows scrunched up in confusion,"Huh?"

He let out an exasperated sigh,"Your chair. It was wobbly, broken. I think somebody switched the seats around or something to not have a wobbly chair, which meant that your seat had the wobbly chair."

Arya just stared at him in awe,"You took my seat so that-" Her voice trailed off, not quite finishing her sentence.

"I didn't want you to have the wobbly chair." Gendry chanced a glance at Arya's face and was surprised and relieved to see gratitude there. _Thank gods I didn't creep her out. _

"Thank you." She said softly. It's not something she had been expecting, and if she didn't believe him before when he said he wanted to get to know her, she certainly did now.

Gendry nodded and offered a small smile. She smiled back and he let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding in.

"No problem."

Arya realized that her blueberry scone had been cooling off for long enough and decides to take a bite out of it and lets out a content 'hmm' while chewing.

Gendry can only chuckle,"You went through a lot for that, didn't you?"

Arya could only nod her head in exasperation. After swallowing her first bite, she wipes off a few crumbs from her lips and fixes a glare at Gendry,"I hear you have an aversion to blueberries."

Gendry's eyes widen,"Yes, I do. Where'd you hear that?"

"Hot Pie. That doesn't matter though. What matters is that you don't like blueberries-"

"That's putting it softly, I hate blueberries."

"Even worse. What kind of person _hates _blueberries?" Arya asks, offended.

"The kind who has taste." Gendry says pointedly at Arya.

Arya narrows her eyes at him,"I'm not so sure I like you very much."

"That'll change with time, I'm sure." He's not so sure what it is about speaking to Arya that makes him so sure of himself, but he finds he likes pushing her buttons with the more they speak.

"You sound pretty confident about that." Arya laughed.

Gendry nodded and decided he should just bite the bullet, he's said this much already, why waste it?

"Yes, but that entirely depends on your answer to my next question." 

Arya feels herself grow nervous and her mind is racing a mile a minute. Nobody has ever taken such an interest in her before, especially not one so profound. They've certainly never done anything about it before either, if anyone ever had noticed her. 

"What would that question be, exactly?" 

He's not sure he can ask her out right, he doesn't want to push his luck and he certainly doesn't want to scare away the new friend he's just made. He thinks he'll play it safe.

"Do you wanna hang out later?" He asks, his voice wavering a bit, betraying whatever confidence he exuded earlier.

"We're hanging out right now though." Arya points out.

"Yes, and I would like to hang out some more." 

"Why?"

"So that when I say something, you'll be there to tell me I'm either wrong, stupid or both, the way you've done this past hour we've been chatting." 

Arya laughs,"I haven't called you stupid," She pauses and shoots him a look,"yet."

He smiles,"So is that a yes?" He sounds hopeful and he thinks she might actually say yes.

"Yea- actually wait, I can't tonight."

He tries his best not to look as deflated as he feels,"that's alright."

"I want to! Believe me, I do. I just have plans tonight with my sister and my roommates. Horror movie marathon," She shoots him a soft smile,"but I would like to hang out again. Honest." 

Gendry smiles at that and decides he can live with that. He looks at the time on the clock on the wall behind Arya which reads 4:45 in the late afternoon, _had they really spent so long together in the bakery?_

"Shit, I'm going to be late for my last lecture."

Arya looks at the clock this time and silently agrees with him, nodding her head. A thought crosses her mind and she acts on to make sure he'll make good on his word,"Hand me your phone."

"Sure, what for though?" 

"So that when you want me to call you wrong and stupid again, you can text me and we make those plans." Arya responded amused.

Gendry only laughed and passed her his phone and she passed him his.

Arya, after putting her contact info in his phone, took a selfie on it and set it as the contact photo, much to the amusement of Gendry.

"You'll thank me later." She winked.

"I'll thank you now." He said back immediately.

Arya wasn't sure what the warm feeling spreading through her was, but she thinks she likes it. _Is he flirting with me? No no. He just really wants to be my friend. _Arya shoos the thought away, boys didn't go after her that way. That treatment was for Sansa. All Arya got was running around in dirt and being labeled as 'one of the guys' for how much she liked to play rough and all the sports she took interest in. It only ever bothered her when she got older because she didn't want to be 'one of the guys'. Girls could like those things too and still be one of the girls. 

But Gendry, with his wide eyes and amused smiles and teasing words made her feel warm inside. She didn't know why but more than anything she didn't want it to stop.

She saw Gendry take a selfie of his own on her phone and winked her way too, causing a _giggle_ to come out of her. _Since when do I giggle?_

They traded phones and he looked down at her contact info. He smiled immediately at the silly selfie set as her contact photo and his eyes widened only slightly at the last name that followed her first.

She eyed him carefully before smiling when his gaze met hers.

"I'll be seeing you, Arya Stark." He said, a twinkle in his eyes.

She nodded and hoped in her heart of hearts that he really really would.

* * *

Arya drove home to her, Meera, Shireen's flat with a smile on her face, unable to contain her giddyness. She wasn't sure how today had started out so terribly and now, at nearly 5 in the evening, her entire spirits were lifted. 

She had a strong feeling it had to do with the boy who stole her blueberry scone. No, not _stole. Bought. _He _bought _it for her. That fills her with a fresh rush of glee and Meera and Shireen can tell as much after she parks her car and walks into their flat.

Shireen looks baffled, only ever knowing that once Arya's day starts off bad, it stays that way for the whole day. This was entirely new.

"What's got you smiling like there's a hanger in your mouth? You looked about ready to murder the whole damn student body when you woke up this morning." Meera asked.

Arya looked between them and couldn't resist letting out a laugh.

"I got a blueberry scone."

Meera's confusion only deepens and Shireen is trying to piece two and two together.

"I thought you said Brienne ran out?"

Arya nodded excitedly, feeling entirely out of her element for being so happy over a boy,"She did. I managed to get one anyway." Arya said mischievously.

Meera eyed Arya carefully,"I don't get it. You're happy because you got a blueberry scone? Don't get me wrong, I love a blueberry scone as much as the next person, but you're obscenely giddy right now. Like vomit cotton candy and shit out rainbows giddy." 

"A blueberry scone is a lot to be happy for." Arya said simply.

"I thought you said the boy from your class bought the last one right in front of you." Shireen said after a moment of processing everything Arya was saying.

"He bought the blueberry scone Shireen. But he bought it for me. He hates blueberries apparently. Can you believe that?" 

Shireen feels a smile grace her features. She felt happy for how excited her roommate was. She felt her own excitement growing. She'd never seen Arya this worked up or excited over a boy before. It made her feel happy.

Meera's confusion is still apparent,"I can't believe anybody hates blueberries no."

Arya rolled her eyes and Shireen shook her head at Meera.

"You and Arya are a strange breed of Northern ladies obsessed with blueberries. Believe it or not, Southerners aren't as keen on them as the pair of you." Shireen said.

"Apparently there are enough Southerners who like blueberries enough to sell them out at Brienne's." Arya shot back, eyebrow raised.

Shireen only laughed,"So you found out why he wronged you then?" 

Arya's cheeks reddened before she nodded shyly and Shireen decides she'd really like to meet the boy who has Arya reacting entirely out of her element. It's something she'd never thought she'd see. Meera's watching Arya amused and decides to join in with Shireen on probing Arya for answers.

"Why'd he wrong you then, Stark?"

"He didn't wrong me actually. He wants to be friends with me."

Meera and Shireen exchange a look between one another and smile to themselves, certain Arya will figure it out soon enough for herself.

"Well, I'm glad you took the high road like I suggested." Shireen said after a moment.

Arya smiled at her,"Me too."

"Now, let's set up for our movie marathon shall we? I really don't want to get chewed out by Sansa again for not arranging the napkins next to the snacks again." Meera grumbled and they all immediately set out to work.

"You got it, Reed." Arya saluted her like a soldier earning a laugh from the both of her roommates and Shireen's eyes widen in realization.

"Wait till Sansa hears about the boy that's got you all ruffled about." Shireen said excitedly.

Arya groaned aloud,"Dear gods no."

Meera smirked at her,"Dear gods yes!"

"You guys are the worst."

"You love it." Meera stuck her tongue out and Arya laughed in spite of herself.

She did love it because she loved them. And she also loved today.

* * *

"You ask her out on a date then?" Hot Pie asked, after his roommate walked in to their flat.

He was in the kitchen, making some type of breaded pot pie dish for dinner. Whatever it was, it smelled heavenly.

"Yes. No. Sort of?" Gendry's face was twisted funnily, like he was thinking too hard and it made Hot Pie want to laugh in his face if it weren't for the fact that they were talking about the girl Gendry couldn't seem to stop talking about every time he'd get home after class the past three weeks.

"What in the bloody seven does that even mean?" 

"It means we're going to hang out again. We only just became familiar with one another. I can't just jump in now, can I?"

"Sure you can mate! Have you seen yourself? Absolute lady killer." Hot Pie winked.

Gendry blushed at his friends words. Gendry never really payed much attention to his looks, but that didn't stop others from doing the same. Apparently his tall height, broad shoulders and muscles were a bit of a crowd pleaser, as well as his black unruly hair and eyes that Hot Pie likes to compare to the bluest of oceans and swears are unmatched.

"I don't know about that. It's more than that anyways. She's different. This isn't about just that. I really would like to be her friend. She's the only other person apart from me that seems to know what she's talking about in class." Gendry says, his mind far away, thinking about every time he and Arya disagreed in class, and how entirely spot on she was with every point she always made.

Hot Pie smiled. He'd never seen his friend so smitten,"You're hanging out again then?"

Gendry nodded happily, before remembering he needed to text her to make the plans for when they would hang out.

"You just reminded me, I have to text her-"

"You got her number?" Hot Pie doesn't bother hiding his excitement.

Gendry laughs and nods,"Yeah, she gave it to me."

"Well what are you waiting for? Text her Gen!"

Gendry shakes his head and retreats to his bedroom,"See you at dinner, mate!" He calls behind him and Hot Pie mumbles a happy "mmhmm" to him before resuming in browning his bread with butter.

* * *

"You spoke to a boy!" Sansa practically screeches after Arya comes out of the bathroom. She doesn't fail at shooting a glare at both her roommates.

"I hardly see how this is a topic worth discussing twice." Arya mumbles.

"It isn't. It's a topic worth discussing an endless amount of times!" Sansa's excitement was contagious and Shireen is invigorated all over again.

"Right!"

Meera gives Arya a look of sympathy before they both smile at one another.

Arya's phone dings and she decides that whatever torment she receives that night from her sister and roommates will be entirely worth it because of the message she just got.

**Scone Thief: ** _3 guesses as to who this might be._

_P.S.-It's actually only one guess and it'd be pretty lame if you got it wrong ;)_

She smiles down at her phone and the name on it, typing her response.

* * *

He can't fight the grin working its way to his face and he doesn't want to.

**Arya Stark:** _Cute name.__Don't know many people brave enough to steal scones from me. In fact I only know one person. Here are my three guesses, are you ready? (one guess only? sorry, I don't know her.)_

_guess 1: Hot Pie?_

Gendry, if possible, only smiles wider, but before he has the chance to respond, she's typing again.

**Arya Stark: ** _It felt wrong typing that. Hot Pie's too good for the world, he'd never steal a thing from me._

_Guess 2: Professor Blackwater?_

_(Now that man **is **a thief.)_

Gendry laughs and gods above him, he can't believe he's actually talking to her, that _she's _talking to _him. _

**Arya Stark: ** _I'm pretty sure those two are wrong. But third times the charm, right? ;)_

_Guess 3: Gendry Waters?_

_(Notorious scone thief? Parking spot snatcher? Seat savior (I'll give you that.) really blue eyes?)_

_You don't need to tell me I'm right. I know I am. Thank you, what's my prize?_

**Scone Thief: ** _Your prize is the pleasure of knowing me. And hanging out like we previously discussed._

_Tomorrow night, 'The Brotherhood's Pub' at 7? :)_

He's not holding his breath, but it certainly feels that way while his heart pounds against his chest and he waits for her text back.

**...**

**...**

**...**

"Seven hells." He mutters. He hates those three black dots.

**Arya Stark: ** _I'll do you one better. Tomorrow morning at 'Brienne's' AND tomorrow night at the pub. Sound alright?_

He's thanking every last god he bought Arya Stark's blueberry scone that morning.

**Scone Thief: ** _More than. See you tomorrow :)_

He might die and he'd be alright because of how over the moon happy he is, but he really hopes he doesn't because tomorrow is going to be good. Tomorrow he's going out with Arya Stark.

Arya Stark, whose scone he bought, whose parking spot he snagged, whose seat he stole.

Arya Stark, who stole something of his too.

Arya Stark, who stole his heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would just like to end this with saying I had a terrifically fantastic day and I feel waaaaaay more optimistic than ever(about life and everything in general) and just wanted to say thank you. :)
> 
> P.S.- Sorry for any grammatical errors, I usually post without proofreading like an improper writer :)
> 
> Peace and love(I'm imparting my happiness unto all of you),
> 
> ohnoshefell


	3. Not Today, My Friend. Not Today

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is it a date? Is it a hangout? Is it all one big misunderstanding??? Gendry and Arya see one another and everybody sees them :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me writing chapter summaries that are absolute shit? More likely than you think.  
Enjoy chapter 3 :))

Most Friday morning's Arya never really cared what she wore. She just dressed to the utmost comfort she could achieve. All she had to do most of these morning's was wake up at 6 and go to her 6:45 am class (she still wonders what in the bloody seven made her take a class at 6:45 in the godsdamn morning), stop at Brienne's bakery at 8:30, stay for a bit and then head to Crone's hall for class at 9:30. After most of these, she'd head home to the comfort of her, Meera and Shireen's flat where she'd nap, do some homework and debate what she'd gain from going clubbing with Sansa on this weekend or the next and she always opted for a movie marathon with Bran and Jon across campus in their flat instead.

This Friday morning was not like most. This Friday morning she was deliberately going to see Gendry Waters. Every other day that she saw him, it was just two university students same as any other university students going in to grab a coffee, tea, anything really to keep them awake whenever professors like professor Pycelle blabbered on, and possibly a sweet treat to tide them over until lunch.

But this time, they weren't going there as two separate parties ordering their coffee's and whatever else Gendry ordered and her scone. No, this time they were going as one party and it freaked her out in the most delightful way.

"Well this is certainly something I never thought I'd see. Arya Stark, planning her outfit and for a boy no less?" Meera teases, walking into Arya's bedroom bright and early.

Arya looks at her flatmate before huffing and crossing her arms over her chest defensively,"am not." She pouted.

Meera let out a light laugh,"Arya it's okay if you are. It's okay to wear what you want for you and it's also okay to where what you want for a boy if it's what you want." 

Arya's shoulders slumped,"I guess. Just no teasing and NO telling Sansa."

Meera smiled at her sincerely,"You've got yourself a deal there my friend." 

Arya returned the smile before turning to her closet once more,"Onto more pressing matters, I have absolutely no idea what to wear."

Arya turns to Meera once more and they hold each other's gaze before reaching the same conclusion.

"SHIREEN!!!"

* * *

Gendry usually doesn't have to wake up until 7:30, but today he finds himself awake at 6 in the morning, absolutely restless and entirely excited because today he was going to see Arya. Not only in the morning at the bakery and for class, but at the pub as well. Today was going to be good. 

Hot Pie had already left to open up the bakery, so Gendry was left to his own devices and decided to spend extra time in the shower and actually put some effort into how he looked that morning. He usually just slagged off and wore a pair of trainers and sweatpants with a shirt or sweatshirt, but today. Today he wanted to look like somebody who should be standing next to Arya Stark. 

Gendry finds a note from Hot Pie on the fridge after he finished getting ready, clad in nice dark grey pants, a black crew neck and his favorite denim jacket and he smiles a little wider than normal.

_Morning mate! Don't have breakfast!!! You're meeting Arya for that you bloke! See you in a jiff. Don't forget to buy her blueberry scones._

_your friend,_

_Hot Pie :)_

He grabs his bag and his keys and heads out ready to buy the most repulsive pastry for the least repulsive and most beautiful girl. Today was going to be good indeed. 

* * *

Where she would usually be fighting off sleep in her 6:45 class, Arya finds herself wide awake and absolutely giddy. Shireen had done an amazing job helping Arya dress cute in a casual way, with her orange knit sweater, black jeans and white sneakers. Arya thought she looked rather cute and she could only hope Gendry would share the same sentiment.

**Scone Thief: ** _Good morning. _ _Hope you're ready for all of my judgmental stares while you eat the most repulsive pastry on this planet._

Arya smiles in spite of Gendry insulting her favorite morning treat.

**Arya: ** _I'll consider letting you live through breakfast and class if you redact your last sentiment._

**Scone Thief:** _Apologies. [Redacted] [Redacted]. Hope you're ready for all of my judgmental stares while you eat the most repulsive pastry on this planet._

Arya shakes her head and laughs.

**Arya: ** _Alright then. Death it is._

**Scone Thief:** _Your death I presume? From consuming an obscene amount of blueberry scones in 3 weeks?_

**Arya:** _Me? Dying? Ha. Not today, my friend. Not today._

* * *

Gendry can't fight the grin creeping its way over his face as he walks into Brienne's Bakery an hour earlier than normal.

Brienne shot a smile Gendry's way,"You're here early. Hot Pie's in the back, I'll go get him." Brienne said and Gendry quickly shook his head.

"That's alright Brienne. I'm not here to see Hot Pie. I see enough of him at home." Gendry laughed and Brienne joined in.

"What'll it be then?" She asked.

Gendry scratched the back of his neck nervously,"I'm actually not ordering anything. Not yet at least. I'm sort of waiting for someone."

Brienne gave him a knowing look,"Ah, I see. A breakfast date."

Gendry shook his head,"I think? I'm not sure. Neither of us were exactly clear on that front but we're also going out later tonight as well, so maybe? I'll have to ask Arya for clarification. I hope it is, for what it's worth."

Brienne just smiled upon hearing it was Arya he was meeting but didn't bother saying another word. Just then, Hot Pie walked in from the back and a smile made it's way to his face upon seeing Gendry in the bakery, earlier than usual.

"Well look who's here, bright and early! You're usually still in bed at this time and I can never for the life of me get you out. Am I to guess what has you here, in broad daylight, smiling with your face split in two?" Hot Pie says happily and whatever smile was dancing in Gendry's eyes is quickly taken over with a scowl.

"Oh, piss off you cheerful bloke. You know why I'm here." Gendry says, with no real bite.

"Did you get my note, then?" 

Gendry nods and in perfect timing, his stomach growled.

"We ought to feed you then. We made an extra batch of blueberry scones." Brienne said and Gendry quickly shook his head.

"S'alright. I've waited this long for breakfast. What's another hour?"

Brienne gave him a sympathetic nod and went back to the register.

Gendry makes his way to his favorite table and settles himself and his things down.

"Are you excited for your date with Arya?" Hot Pie says, as he walks up to Gendry's table positioned a little ways away from the door.

Gendry shoots him a look, "It's not a date. I mean, I hope it is, but I learned a long time ago not to get my hopes up. So for now, it's a breakfast outing with someone I happen to like more than normal."

Hot Pie laughs,"You're a proper idiot if you don't think it's a date. While I might not have been hearing a single thing either one of you were speaking about yesterday, it was pretty obvious that whatever has you captivated also has her-"

"No way-"

"Yes way," Hot Pie glares,"She had stars in her eyes the more you guys spoke."

Gendry, against his best efforts, felt his hopes getting higher,"really?"

Hot Pie nods and gives him a small smile,"Truly."

* * *

Where an hour usually goes by like water, it seems like time had been going extra slow for the both of them. The anticipation building up in Arya was enough to make her burst and of course Professor Aemon chose today of all days to run class a little bit over time. Why wouldn't he?

It's not like Arya had a properly handsome doofus waiting for her in a bakery full of blueberry scones.

As soon as he finishes speaking, Arya is out the door so fast, she nearly tumbles into the students walking in the hallway, but she could apologize to them later. They didn't have any Gendry's waiting for them.

But she did.

She's running down the stairs and almost makes it out the door when she runs into her little brother.

"Woah! Where's the fire, munchkin?" Bran's eyes are full of amusement.

Arya doesn't have any wits for Bran at the moment so she just throws a glare at him,"Wouldn't you like to know."

"Maybe I do. I am all knowing, or have you forgotten already?" Bran smirks.

"Oh that was totally a fluke! You read my diary and you know it. There's no way you could've known it was me that had put that goose in Theon's room otherwise."

Bran just smiles,"Anybody that's known you for five seconds would've known it was you that put the goose in Theon's room." Bran counters.

"But seriously, why the rush?"

"I'm going to Brienne's bakery." She says simply.

He eyes her curiously,"You always go to Brienne's bakery though, and you're never in this much of a rush. Are you meeting someone?"

When Arya doesn't respond, Bran takes her silence and rapidly reddening cheeks as an answer.

With wide eyes and a disbelieving smile, Bran just looks down at Arya,"No way."

"Shut up."

"No way. This is amazing."

"I'll kill you."

"My sister, **the **Arya Stark, making a romantic human connection of her own free will?"

"Fancy pushing you out of a window."

"And they've got you blushing? You are so smitten. So smitten the kitten."

"Ever heard of copyright infringement? I'm sure Phoebe Buffay has."

"Oh hush up, you love it you heartless little wench." Bran sticks his tongue out at her and Arya drops her glare, lets out a laugh and smiles back.

"Whatever. I guess I do, only cause I love you." 

Bran smiles sincerely at her.

Arya feels her phone buzz with an email from her professor and she looks at the time,"Shit, I'm going to be late if I don't leave now."

Bran gestures for her to go,"I'll see you later at mine and Jon's? He'd love to hear all about this."

"Almost as much as he'd love a heart attack. But yes, you will." Arya hugs her brother goodbye and heads straight to her car, trying so very fast to make her way to Gendry.

* * *

He hears the bell ding above the entrance to Brienne's and immediately decides that Arya in the Autumn is a rare beauty and he's lucky enough to behold it.

She hurries over to where he's sitting,"Sorry! I hope I didn't keep you waiting, my professor just kept talking on and on and on, and then I ran into my brother after class and just all the forces of nature working against me." She rambles and it makes his heart flutter.

He looks at her, cheeks pink from the light breeze outside, brown hair falling and curling over her shoulders and eyes not to glassy from the sun and the wind and he couldn't possibly understand how this was the forces of nature working against her.

After leaving her stuff in the chair across from hers, they walk up to the counter together to order.

"It's fine, I wasn't waiting long." He smiles down at her and Hot Pie from the other side of the counter, let's out a snort.

It seems Brienne is in the right mind as Gendry and sends a dismissive glare Hot Pie's way, who only gestures his hands in a mock surrender.

"What'll it be, my lovelies?" Brienne asks.

"Two blueberry scones, two hot chocolates and a croissant please." Gendry says warmly.

"You don't like blueberry scones." Arya points out while meeting his blue eyes.

"An astute observation, m'lady," He pauses to laugh at her glare,"I don't like them. You do. And if I'm not mistaken, we are here together, right?" 

Arya's eyes widen and she's thankful for her cheeks being pink from the surprisingly crisp autumn air. She gives Gendry a shy smile,"We are."

Gendry smiles at her fully and whatever chilliness the weather outside brought her was immediately taken away and replaced by the warmth of Gendry's grin.

Brienne can't help but watch the entire exchange with hearts in her eyes,"That'll be $8.29"

Gendry reaches for his wallet when Arya speaks.

"You don't have to pay."

"And you don't have to have such a strong passion for the foulest pastry, but here we are doing things we can't help." Gendry teases earning him a shove in the arm. Arya smiles in spite of herself.

"Knock yourself out then, you big oaf." 

"I most certainly will."

He finishes paying and they both head back to where they were sitting, making quiet chatter about their mornings and who they'd wish would just shut up in their next class.

"2 blueberry scones, 2 hot chocolates and a croissant for Gendry and Arya!" Hot Pie says loudly and chipper from the other end.

Arya smiles Hot Pie's way and walks to the other end of the counter to pick up most of their order, Gendry swiping in on time to take the hot chocolates before she even has the chance at attempting to carry all of their food and drinks.

She glares at him,"spoil sport."

"Yes, that's me, mr.spoil sport erring on the side of caution." He shoots back.

"Careful now, my hands might be full, but I've got legs."

"Short ones." He snorts

"I have a list with your name on it. Right at the very top, as a matter of fact."

"Is it a to do list?" 

Arya's eyes widen in shock. No one has ever been this quick on their feet and has ever pushed back this hard. No one has ever been able to keep up. She likes it.

Gendry thinks he's won but she thinks she likes surprising him.

"If you're lucky." She smirks and the look of pure astonishment helps her confirm that she does like surprising him. She likes surprising him a lot.

* * *

"And that's how I'm double jointed." Arya finishes explaining, much to Gendry's amusement.

They'd finished eating their breakfast, Arya absolutely elated by her surplus of blueberry scones, had been talking so effortlessly the whole time, and now they were packing up their things to head to class at Crones Hall.

"I can't believe you were crazy enough to jump from a giant tree and try to tuck and roll." He laughs.

"And all it cost me was the ability to use my right hand for 10 weeks. I was 10, I hardly see how it's that unbelievable though." She responds and after a moment he shrugs in agreement.

After throwing out their trash, bidding goodbye to Hot Pie and Brienne, they walked out side by side.

Arya made way to head to her car but Gendry stopped her,"Where are you going?"

"To my car? How else would I get to the other side of campus? " Arya responds confused.

Gendry decides things had been going so well thus far, he'd feel fine pressing his luck.

"I figured we could drive to class together, you know? Like you leave your car here at Brienne's and we head over to Crone's Hall in my car. It'll save us from having to fight over that parking spot that's calling my name-"She sends him a playful glare,"-and I can just drive you back here after class and we'd part ways properly."

After saying it out loud, Gendry feels a little unsure of himself. Maybe he shouldn't have pressed his luck.

"Okay."

But he's glad he did.

"What? Really? Okay?" He sputters out in disbelief.

She throws her head back in laughter, eyes alight and hair wild in the wind and upon hearing and seeing it all, Gendry is certain from this moment until his last that Arya Stark is an angel.

A very snarky, easily irritable and entirely beautiful angel, but an angel no less.

"Yes really. Yes okay. Now let's get a move on to that truck of yours before somebody else actually steals that parking spot."

He smiles and does as she says and they head to class together.

He didn't fight the little thoughts in the back of his mind of how natural it felt and how routine he hoped it would become for them to do this.

He also didn't fight the small smiles that would work their way over his face every time he would catch Arya stealing glances at him from the passenger seat.

He parks the car and they head into Crone's Hall together, to their classroom and sit in their seats, but not before Gendry checks which chair is wobbly and which chair isn't (much to both of their pleasure, neither of them have the wobbly chair this morning.).

Today's class isn't like every other. Today's class he isn't tuning everybody out except for their professor. He doesn't have his head buried in his book, writing notes away like there's no tomorrow. No.

Today's class he's exchanging secret looks with Arya whenever Joffrey Baratheon opens his mouth to give his unwanted two cents.

He's making funny faces at her whenever Ned Dayne turns his serious gaze towards her.

He's passing her doodles and notes of their classmates and how they all have no grasp or any actual idea what they're doing in their history class.

But the thing he's doing most is falling in deeper and deeper anytime she returns his secret looks, anytime she meets his funny faces with one of her own and anytime she upstages his doodles with an even better one of her own.

He's falling, falling, falling and he is absolutely loving every last second of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember Us is giving me the dirtiest look right about now, but sorry sweetie, mommy's working. 
> 
> I'm mortified I wrote that but am probably not going to take it out and worry not, I am writing chapter 10 :)
> 
> Next chapter is the pub :)) 
> 
> Peace and love,
> 
> ohnoshefell


	4. Arya, Arya, Arya

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicated to @thelandofnothing who said she needed to know what happened next. Here you are, my friend <3

It's not like he had been staring at her the entire time in class or anything of the like. Like most of the duration of their class, they had exchanged their secret glances and doodles and funny faces and as class went on, their attention would drift from the board to one another and back and forth on loop until nearer to the end when they payed attention to whatever the hells their professor was blabbering about and when their professor signals the end of class and she turns over to look at him, she's met with a dazed expression and a dopey smile.

She'd think herself pretty stupid to try and resist smiling back so she doesn't and it's like he's snapped out of his daze because he's looking at her with wide eyes and an even wider smile as the students around them gather their things and empty out of the classroom.

"Hope you're not that out of focus on the way to driving me back to my car at Brienne's, otherwise who knows what accident we'll end up in."

Gendry rolls his eyes and laughs,"I wasn't out of focus."

"Oh really? Then what, pray tell, exactly was all that?" She gestures towards their seats that they had just gotten up from and then tries to make the face she caught him making at her but only ends up with a goofy grin on her features that Gendry finds himself battling every nerve in his body not to kiss. Instead he just gathers his thoughts and smiles at her,"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I'm talking about you checking me out." She's only teasing him so she's not really expecting him to say anything back to that.

"Can you blame me?"

Whatever retort she had been getting ready to say dies on her tongue when the words he just said to her register in her mind.

She just stares at him, eyes a little rounder and lips slightly parted and he rolls his eyes again at her and smiles before letting out a breath,"Arya, you're insanely smart. Have you heard yourself speak in class? You actually know what you're talking about which is more than I can say for any of our other classmates-" Arya makes a noise of agreement at that before he continues,"You're also unbelievably beautiful. And now that I know for certain that you're probably the coolest person on campus, if not King's Landing, I'm sort of helpless to admiring you openly now."

Arya feels a small smile play at her lips. She felt- she didn't know how she felt. He liked how smart she was and it's something she'd always been proud of. Most people had been intimidated by how much she knew and how in command she could be, but not Gendry. It drew him in. 

And he also thought she was beautiful, he said as much just now. It's not like nobody ever thought she was beautiful. Her parents certainly did, and Jon and Bran were always teasing her about how many hearts she breaks because of how oblivious she was anytime someone would flirt with her. Sansa thought her a rare kind of pretty that she's convinced only Arya could pull off and Meera and Shireen always said she gave meaning and put truth into the expression 'real northern beauty'. But Gendry called her beautiful now. It feels a little different now, it feels a little out of the world and a lot nice. She likes it. She likes _him._

"Admire away then," She pauses to point an accusatory finger at him,"but not in the car. Still wouldn't like to be the cause of a car accident."

Gendry shakes his head and then looks at her, amusement dancing around in his blue eyes and he decides if she wants to tease him, he can tease her right back,"how about you drive my truck, that way I can still 'admire' you from the passenger seat and you can jam the gear stick of my unbearably crappy truck."

"Oh I bet you'd just love for me to jam your gear stick,"Arya smirks and Gendry can only sputter out a few _I's _and _No's _and one _that's not what I meant _before she's throwing her head back in laughter and he's glaring at her the way she glared at him yesterday morning when she thought he stole her scone.

Now he knows how she did it so easily.

After she sobers up she slings her bag over her shoulder and heads towards the front door of the now empty classroom. 

"Come on, scone thief. I need to get back to my car and that gear stick isn't going to jam itself now is it?" She's smirking at him and begins to walk out and he lets out a groan and a "You're the worst" above her laughter all the while following behind.

Although he finds he doesn't mind her teasing and her smirking and the way she laughs at what she says when she's messing around and possibly even _flirting. _He teases her too, and he smirks and laughs when he messes around too and when he flirts right back.

She was going to drive him absolutely mad and he thinks he might be okay with that.

* * *

After seven miserable attempts of trying to drive stick from Arya, Gendry shoos her to the passenger seat and mentions he'll just admire her extra long at the pub, earning slightly reddening cheeks from Arya and a triumphant little smile from Gendry. The drive back to Brienne's is filled with Arya poking fun at how red Gendry's face became when she nearly popped the clutch out of it's socket and Gendry sending an occasional glare at her as much he can while keeping his eyes on the road and continuing the (too quick in his honest opinion) drive to Brienne's.

"You're the one who had suggested I drive, alright you stubborn brat?" She japes and Gendry mock gasps out of surprise.

"M'lady, there's only one stubborn brat in this car and she was pretty adamant with her anger regarding some blueberry scones."

Arya groans,"Will you ever let me live that down? How soon is too soon? I'm pretty certain this isn't something you can tease me about a day after it happens." 

He smiles to himself and makes a right turn, stopping at a red light, two blocks from the bakery and he turns to look at her,"I'm afraid not, no. I plan on teasing you about this for as long as I remember it."

Arya just glares at him, with no real malice and he can only find it in himself to laugh softly before driving forward at the now green light, past the two blocks and stopping his truck in front of the car behind Arya's. 

He kills the engine to his truck and they both turn to look at each other and suddenly the car is filled with the tension of nerves and unspoken wants and _were these last few hours a date? Is tonight a date? _

Gendry sends her a smile before he speaks,"Listen, I just wanted to say that I'm really excited and happy about all of this, whatever's happening," He's stumbling over his words and doesn't know how to voice what he wants to say next but he gives it a shot anyway,"I had been wanting to speak to you since the semester started, truthfully. Ever since you corrected Professor Varys on what time period those cave finger paintings were actually from and every class you just always point out what everybody else seems to miss and you're just pretty spectacular, alright? I'm sorry that I upset you by buying your blueberry scone yesterday, absolutely I am, but I'm not sorry I bought it cause I mean. Well. I mean look, I'm just really excited to be hanging out with you is all I'm trying to say." He rambles it all out and Arya is certain she's never seen anything more endearing than this.

His cheeks are all red and his blue eyes are wide and she's never seen a blue so deep and rich before she thinks she might drown in it. His hands, which had been gripping the steering wheel tightly, were now seated in his lap fumbling over one another. And he's looking at her and he probably thinks he's scared her way with all those word he just said.

Arya's body feels absolutely electric and like it's on a wire and she lets out a breath before she's smiling at him again and it eases his nerves a little.

"The Brotherhood's Pub?" She reiterates their initial plan, her voice soft and not sounding like her own and _are these the butterflies everybody's always talking about when they like someone? _

Gendry nods his head and turns from looking at her to look forward,"Yes. Tonight at 7."

"Perfect," She didn't know it before, but she definitely knew it now. This morning, today's class, here in the car now, tonight. All of it, "It's a date." 

Gendry snaps his head in her direction, and if it's possible, his eyes were wider than before and the grin that's plastered on his face threatens to crack it in half from how big it is,"Really? I mean, really?" His voice is a little breathless and it could be because of how heavy he had been breathing earlier but it's definitely because of Arya Stark sitting right beside him.

She nods her head, giggling and gods it sounded so sweet,"really."

He just blinks and keeps smiling at her,"A date. It's a date."

"Mhmm. But I have to go now, head to my brother's apartment and then head home to get ready. So, I'll see you tonight?"

Gendry just looks at her like she's grown a second head,"Of course you will. It's a date." She just smiles some more and shakes her head before unbuckling her seat belt and moving to step out of his truck, but before she does and before she can think twice on it, she's leaning over the clutch and kissing his cheek, short and sweet, and then hopping out of the truck and shutting the door. She's grinning at him through the window and the look of sheer awe on his face before she disappears into her own car and pulling off the curb to drive away.

He stays out there for a few seconds longer, hand raised to his right cheek that she just kissed and his skin there still feels warm and it tingles.

His mind is a jumbled mess of words and thoughts and feelings but the only two things that seemed perfectly clear were _she kissed my cheek _and _it's a date._

And the more he thought about it, the more he smiled and was filled with excitement and nervousness and complete and utter adoration.

_She kissed my cheek._

_It's a date._

* * *

Arya wasn't a person who got scared easily. She wasn't somebody who let nerves chase her away or take control of her mind and body. 

There was nothing scary about Gendry, but the way he was making her feel terrified her in the best ways possible. The way she had no control over how fast her mind was racing, the heavy beat of her heart or the air in her lungs would be enough to drive her mad if it wasn't absolutely delightful. 

And even better, she had a feeling she had the same effect on Gendry. The way his breath caught in his throat when her lips met his skin, the way his eyes widened when she confirmed that this was in fact a date, the way he seemed to stumble over his words when he was, more or less, telling her how he felt-how he _feels _about her, she knew she affected him and she absolutely loved it.

Pulling into a parking spot and headed up to Bran and Jon's apartment, she knows she can't hide how elated she is, especially not from them, so she braces herself for the endless amounts of teasing she was about to receive from them.

She knocks on the door and immediately it swings open to reveal a smiling Jon with Bran sitting on a stool by the kitchen counter not too far behind him.

"You went out with somebody?" Is all Jon says while Arya groans and pushes past him into the familiar apartment. After she settles herself on the couch, Jon closes the door and she glares daggers at Bran who can only manage to smile at her cheekily. He was quite too pleased with himself.

"What is with all of my siblings and being weird about me talking to a boy? It's not that big of a deal."

Bran just shakes his head and Jon sits next to her, prompting her to lean into his side while he ruffles up her hair. It feels nice, it feels like home.

"You're right. It's not. But it's still pretty exciting. I mean, Bran told me you were practically bouncing and beaming on the spot! You only ever reserve that kind of excitement for really really rare occasions-"

"Beating Theon at crazy eights is _not _a rare occasion." 

"-and for people you really really like."

Arya just lets out a breath before kicking off her shoes and laying on the couch, her head in Jon's lap.

"Shouldn't you be like, all big brothery about this? I mean, don't get me wrong, I appreciate all the excitement almost as much as it annoys me, but I don't know. I guess I was kind of expecting you to be losing your head over this."

Bran finishes his cereal, drops his bowl into the sink and heads over to where Jon and Arya are on the couch, putting her legs in his lap as he sits with his family.

"He's had a couple of hours to 'lose his head' while you were off with this mystery man of yours."

Arya only looks up at Jon who nods in confirmation, wearing a small proud smile before growing a little serious,"I still would like to know about him."

"As would I." Pipes up Bran from his ends of the couch and she sits up and folds her legs underneath her before going into a deep dive about Gendry and how he stole her scone and they spoke for hours and he asked her out and here they are.

"Bran was right. You _are_ so smitten the kitten!"

Arya only glowers at her brothers,"am not."

Bran rolls his eyes,"I'm sorry Arya, but seeing as Jon and I had to bear witness you recounting yours and this Gendry's story thus far, we can decidedly say you are smitten. You like him. A lot."

Arya didn't need them to tell her she liked Gendry a lot to know she did, she felt it. She just didn't need them teasing her about it. Especially not so early in the day.

"Whatever."

"Oh this is absolutely precious. My baby sister. My Arya!" Jon held a hand over his heart and kissed the top of her head.

"I can't wait to meet this Gendry bloke that's put heart in your eyes. It's a true wonder to the world." He pinches her cheeks.

Arya swats Jon's hands away but can't fight the smile working it's way to her features,"You are absolutely ridiculous, you're worse than Sansa." She snorts.

"Impossible. Sansa lives for this kind of stuff." Jon crosses his arms over his chest defensively.

"And you don't? I can seem to recall Ygritte describing in excruciatingly vivid memory just how much of a romantic you are, with all your sappy love poems and those big glossy puppy dog eyes. If Sansa lives for this kind of stuff then you, my big brother, would absolutely die for it."

Bran nods in agreement,"You are the most hopeless romantic, Jon."

"Better for you lot, what with how clueless the pair of you are in affairs of the heart." He snorts.

"I am not clueless! I flirted very well with Gendry, thank you very much." Arya pouts and Bran, once more, nods in agreement.

"And I am just not interested in dating anyone at the moment." Bran states and Arya rolls her eyes at him.

"Anyone that isn't Meera Reed you mean." She mutters, promptly earning her a shove from Bran while Jon just laughs.

"That's enough out of you, traitor." 

"I'm no traitor, Bran Stark." Arya sticks her tongue out at him and he just smiles.

"What time is your date tonight, anyways?" Jon asks after a moment.

"7. Why?"

Jon looks at the clock on the wall which reads close to noon and he smiles,"Just wondering if Bran and I have enough time to utterly destroy you in smash bros."

Arya snorts and rolls her eyes at her brother,"Dream on you knucklehead. I do, however, have enough time to take some names and kick some ass, and both yours and Bran's seem to be waiting for me, on a silver platter." She's smirking and knows it's enough to get her brothers annoyed and excited all at once.

Bran and Jon look at her and then at each other before looking at Arya once more,"It's on."

* * *

The more the afternoon went on, the more Gendry felt himself float throughout the day. He was actually going to go on a date with her. With Arya.

It was like an absolute dream that he didn't want to wake up from. He is, however, snapped out of his daze when his phone buzzes in his pocket. He opens it and smiles at the text he just received from his long time friend and roommate.

**Hot Pie: ** _How's everything, mate? Did it go well? Was I (obviously) right?_

**Gendry:** _Everything's fine, headed to the flat right now. And there was not a single thing obvious about it....but yes...you were right :)_

For once in his life, in something not regarding baking or knowing how to properly stitch up pants, Hot Pie had been right about something. Gendry couldn't have been happier that it was about this. 

Maybe Hot Pie had a knack for this kind of thing. Maybe he was a love whisperer.

Or maybe he just didn't make enough blueberry scones and it worked out entirely too well for Gendry. Either way, he's glad for it.

* * *

After beating them at smash bros. not once, not twice or three times, but four, and after eating all of Bran's chips and salsa, Arya packs up and decides it's time to head home to the comfort of her flat at 3:00 in the afternoon to take a much needed nap before she had to get ready for her date with Gendry.

The thought filled her with glee and she felt a rush of something warm in her chest, the flapping and fluttering of nervous butterflies in her stomach, she'd almost thought _they _were the ones getting to go on a date with Gendry.

"I'll see you two tomorrow?" She asks, slipping her sneakers on. Bran nods and bends down, hugging her and straightening himself out to lift her off the ground.

"Yes, you will. With details on how it went and everything."

"Assuming it goes well you mean." Arya says more to herself than Bran as he sets her back on the ground.

"You're Arya flipping Stark. How could it not go well? You're a total knock out and if it doesn't go well, he'll _get _a total knock out. Sound fair?" Bran says and Arya laughs and shakes her head.

"None of that will be necessary, but sure." 

Jon walks over and gives her a nice, big hug, mussing her hair up once more and kissing her forehead,"It's going to go great. And if it doesn't, I'll call you with an emergency of Bran astral projecting again, alright?" 

Arya only smiles and nods before leaving her brother's apartment and heading home to hers, where she finds Meera, Shireen and Sansa all gathered in the living room, clearly waiting for something. She thinks that something might be her because they all turn to her with wide eyes (mainly Shireen and Sansa, Meera's expression more sympathetic than anything else) and Sansa shaking her head at Arya.

"Finally! What took you so long? You're class ends at 10:45 Arya, where were you?" Sansa says and if it were anybody else, it would seem unbearable, but it's Sansa who loves romance, Sansa who knows everybody's schedules to make itineraries, Sansa who wants to help Arya get ready for her date with Gendry. So it's a little less unbearable.

Arya just shrugs,"Went over to Bran and Jon's and totally obliterated them in smash bros."

Meera's face pulls down,"No fair. We could've teamed up and taken them down together!"

Arya only smiles and sends a knowing smile Meera's way, causing her cheeks to redden.

"Well now that you're here, enough time has been wasted. Let's get you ready for your date!" Shireen says excitedly from where she's sitting and like a switch all three girls are nodding their heads and beaming at Arya who only throws her head back and groans.

"It's just a pub-"

"It's a date."

"Totally lowkey-"

"With a handsome boy."

"Just the two of us-"

"Who you like a lot." Arya just glares at all three of them before giving in and letting them whisk her away to get ready for her date with Gendry.

Maybe she'd like what they'd make her wear. Maybe he would too.

* * *

Gendry finds himself more stressed about getting ready now than he did getting ready this morning. He wonders if Arya feels the same way but then quickly shakes the thought away. Whether or not she planned what she wore didn't matter, she's always been so pretty. It seemed so effortless.

He decides, after one very long shower, that he'll wear something nice, something casual. They were going to the pub after all. It didn't call for anything extravagant but going on a date with Arya deserved effort and he would put in as much as he needed to. He decides on black jeans and a navy sweater with his denim jacket and his trusty white trainers. 

He steps out of his bedroom to find Hot Pie, not so strangely, in the kitchen baking some oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. When he sees Gendry, he smiles his way,"You look fit, don't you? I wonder why." He teases and Gendry only finds himself rolling his eyes at Hot Pie before returning the smile.

"That's enough out of you. Is Anguy bar tending tonight?"

Hot Pie's face scrunches up,"I think so. He usually does most Friday's, but who ever really knows with him." Gendry nods before stealing a cookie from Hot Pie's tray much to Hot Pie's irritation and then grabs his keys and wallet and heads out the door.

"I'll see you later. Wish me luck."

"She's just as into you as you are into her you fool, you don't need any of my luck. But good luck! It'll be great!" Hot Pie says happily, and for once, Gendry let's him see the effect his words of encouragement have on him by smiling brightly and letting out a disbelieving laugh before opening the door and walking out.

Hot Pie seemed a lot more observant than Gendry gave him credit for. Maybe he was right. Maybe he wouldn't need luck. All he would need was shitty beer, a terrible game of soccer on the television screen and Arya Stark laughing in a booth next to him for everything to be alright. And maybe, just maybe, he might get that.

* * *

It was a struggle and a half for Arya to get ready for tonight. Where she thought getting ready with the help of her roommates and sister would make it easier, it only made it worse, with each girl having varying opinions on what Arya should wear for tonight.

Sansa, who loves romance novels and every classic trope till the day she dies, suggested Arya wear a nice little dress, which Arya had been considering until Meera reminded her of the booth's and bar stools she'd be sitting on and how uncomfortable that would be for her bare thighs. Shireen suggested Arya wear stockings with the dress if the bar stools were such a concern, to which Sansa pointed out every pair of stockings owned by Arya either had rips in them, or would end up with rips by the end of the night (Arya chose to ignore the suggestive look Sansa sent her way with that remark).

Meera suggested Arya wear whatever the hells she wanted and after going back and forth between several ideas, each of them all settled on that.

She'd left her hair falling down around her face and just a bit past her shoulders and barely left the house to make in time.

So here she was, in her car, driving to the pub wearing black ripped jeans, her favorite black booties and a nice silk emerald blouse Meera had lent to her, stopping at her shoulders with not too many frills and enough subtly that it felt right.

Pulling up to the pub, she's grateful to see they had a small parking lot to the right of their entrance and she feels her pulse quicken at the sight of the familiar blue truck in the lot already. Had he been waiting long? She hoped not, but the thought of him here early for her please her entirely.

After parking she heads inside and is greeted with the sight of colorful Christmas lights hung around the back of the bar, banners of the Stags Soccer team, and a big shield with two swords crossing over that read "The Brotherhood's Pub" on it in blue letters.

"What can I do for you, little lady?" The bartender asks, walking towards the end of the bar that Arya had been standing at.

"I'm actually meeting someone here. You wouldn't happen to have-" The bartender smiles wider and wider at her and Arya stops her sentence short, not sure if she should feel uncomfortable or not.

"No way. You wouldn't happen to be meeting Gendry , would you?" The bartender lets out a disbelieving laugh at her nod.

"Yeah, I am actually. I'm Arya." She says, but she doesn't let her nerves rise to the surface. They'd already made themselves abundantly clear to her, there was no need to make them clear to this strange guy.

"Believe me, I know who you are. I'm Anguy. The bartender. Don't suppose he happened to blabber about me the way he does about you?" Arya laughs and shakes her head.

"I can't say he has, no."

"Miserable bastard. You'd think showing him how to drive stick shift would mean somethi-"

"What lies are you spreading." Gendry cuts in, walking up to Arya. He smiles down at her while she smiles up at him.

Anguy just rolls his eyes,"I'd hardly call your neglectfulness of this friendship a lie."

"Sorry about him and whatever you've had to put up with. I was in the bathroom. Did you have to wait long?" He asks her, eyes shining with fondness and concern and she thinks she likes him a lot more than she did that morning.

She just shakes her head and smiles,"It's fine. I actually only just got here a few minutes ago."

"Still, a few minutes with Anguy is a few too many."

"Hey! If you're going to insult me and degrade my level of human interaction at least have the decency to do it at your own private booth and not in front of my face you cheeky bastard." Anguy says with mock offense before winking Arya's way only causing her to laugh and Gendry to grab her hand in his and walk with her to a booth near the back.

He decides he likes the way her hand fits in hers. Like a lock and key, like they were only supposed to hold hands with each other. He likes how soft and small her hand is in his big, rough and calloused ones from using his hands too much in his metal workshop class. 

They make it to the booth and like he suspected, a soccer game was on and the Stags were losing to the Dragons 3-1 and he's not so sure he cares about soccer right now, and why would he? Why would he care about anything else when Arya Stark is sitting in front of him, laughing about a joke she just told and reaching over to ruffle his hair and calling his taste in beer shitty (because it absolutely was but Anguy would give him crap for making him go in the back for any of the good stuff).

Why would he care that Anguy very much spilled two pints over himself when he can care about the way Arya's eyes brighten while she laughs at him.

Why would he care about how cold their fries are when Arya is sword fighting his fry with hers and dipping her fries in honey mustard because she thinks it tastes better than sweet and sour (he supposes he might care a little bit about that one because how could she like honey mustard more than sweet and sour and was all her taste in pastries and condiments absolute shit?)

Gendry doesn't think he cares about much else tonight except for Arya's laugh, Arya's smile, Arya's grey eyes. Arya calling out a foul that Coach Stannis very much failed to point out, Arya tossing fries in his mouth from a distance to prove she has better aim than Anguy anytime he'd stop by their table to refill their basket, Arya saying Big Time Rush was the real boy band come up and they were robbed by One Direction. 

Arya, Arya, Arya.

He thinks he has a problem but he thinks it might not be that much of a problem because halfway through their date, halfway through his joke about Hot Pie and Anguy arguing over who works a cash register better, Arya is getting up out of her side of the booth and sliding next to him on his side.

She's leaning into his side, calling him a doofus, laughing in his ear and absolutely has stars in her eyes and he hopes he's the one that put them there.

He doesn't feel the time pass, not when Arya is talking all about Winterfell, not when she's telling him how she wants to be a forensic anthropologist or how it's easy to get her on a roller coaster but she always wants to get off immediately.

He doesn't feel it pass when he's telling her all about Fleabottom and his mother and how he wants to be a physics teacher. Or how he loves to go camping but only in the spring. 

He doesn't feel the time pass the more they talk, the more they laugh and the closer they sit to each other, slowly linking their arms together, his hand finding hers and playing with her fingers while she rambles about where her obsession with blueberry scones emerged from. Or when she gets all nervous and he kisses her cheek and feels the heat rise to her face with his lips.

It almost felt too good to be true.

Had there ever been anything more beautiful than this?

* * *

They barely realize how empty the bar has become, being so wrapped up in one another and what the other had to say before Anguy is walking over to them and shaking his head in disapproval at Gendry.

"You know, this is the longest you've spent in my pub, and it wasn't even to spend time with me. You break my heart, Gendry Waters."

Arya laughs behind her hand and Gendry rolls his eyes,"I think you and I spend more than enough time together for you to be wounded over this-"

"Although I suppose if the reason you've decided to leave me, your main squeeze, behind was to go on a date with this way out of your league stunner, you're more than forgiven."

Arya snorts,"You certainly are something else."

"Gendry seems to think so. But enough about Gendry's thoughts. I'm here to kick you out."

"Kick us out? It's not even-"

"It's one in the morning, you fool."

"WHAT?" Arya and Gendry say at the same time. Arya untangles her arm from Gendry's and grabs her phone across the table to see several texts from Meera and Shireen varying from asking her how her date went, to when she'd be home, to if she'd be home at all, to them letting her know they were headed to bed.

"I can't believe we've spent six hours in here just talking." Arya says, voice a little breathless.

Gendry just smiles at her and drapes his arm over her shoulders.

Anguy snorts,"I can. You two are practically wrapped up in one another. It's cute. Too cute. I want to barf cute. Now get the hells out of my pub." He says with no real bite and Arya laughs and Gendry rolls his eyes.

Arya slides out of the booth, Gendry immediately misses the warmth, and after collecting their things, they say bye to Anguy who only smiles at them and nods in goodbye while they leave.

Their cars were the only two left in the parking lot, each on opposite sides.

Gendry walks Arya over to her car and they stand outside of the drivers door of her car.

Arya looks up at Gendry and shivers slightly.

Gendry quickly takes his denim jacket off and drapes it over Arya's shoulders. Arya finds herself blushing all over again and smiles gratefully at him, "I probably should've brought one of my own. Thank you."

Gendry laughs,"No it's fine. I wouldn't want our date to have such a terrible end with you freezing after those amazing six hours. Gods, six hours, can you believe that?" 

Arya shakes her head while she stuffs her arms through the sleeves of his jacket and it's entirely too big on her but she likes how it wraps around her and how her hands don't poke out through the ends of the sleeves,"No. I can't. I guess we must really like each other."

He knows they do, but his heart still beats a little faster and his pupils still dilate a little more and his breath still catches in his throat.

"Yeah. Yeah, I guess we really do." He says quietly, gently, before cupping her cheek softly.

Arya, who had been biting her lip nervously, suddenly doesn't feel all that nervous. She feels excited and impatient and ready for whatever's about to happen next because she knows it's going to be nothing short of spectacular and absolutely something she'll never forget.

She commits to memory the dim orange glow of 'The Brotherhood's Pub' behind Gendry, the breeze through the leaves and past the tension between them, the smell and warmth of Gendry's jacket wrapped around her and the feel of his warm hand on her cheek. His blue eyes bright and his cheeks a little pink. 

He searches her eyes for an answer and she's more than happy to give him one,"Kiss me, you idiot."

He laughs before he leans down and his lips move over hers softly, smoothly. It's warm and it's nice and sweet and then Arya remembers how easily he keeps up with her, how unafraid he is to challenge her, how confident he becomes when he teases her and there's a new invigorated passion stirring in her as she stands on her tip toes to wrap her arms around his neck, hands making their way into his hair and tugging at it earning a surprise gasp from him and giving Arya's tongue access to his. When Gendry bites down on her bottom lip, his own hands weaving their way through her hair and pulling softly, she thinks he's going to take her to all the places she wants to go, but all too soon their bliss is interrupted.

"Oi! This isn't what I meant when I said get out! Go home, you raunchy scoundrels!" Arya pulls away from Gendry, putting her hand over her mouth afraid she might burst into an absolute fit of laughter if she stares at Gendry's glare at Anguy any longer.

He turns back to Arya,"Sorry about him. He can be-"

"One of a kind? It's fine. Who knows what types of acts of public indecency we might've committed if he hadn't interrupted us." Arya teases and Gendry only finds himself laughing at the thought.

"Yeah. Yeah." He stares at her a little while longer before he cradles her face in his hands. She looks at him with her eyes open and stunning.

"I really like you Arya."

"I know." She laughs softly,"I really like you too."

She puts her hands over his and leans up while he leans down and this kiss is softer and sweeter than the last one. They relish in the warmth they give one another before pulling apart, after which Gendry places a kiss on her nose.

"I'll let you go then, before we make good on that promise of yours." He winks and she shakes her head, her heart swelling in her chest.

"Goodnight Gendry." 

She opens her car door and he gives her one final peck before getting in her car,"Goodnight Arya."

It isn't until she settles herself and drives away before he walks to his own truck, where Anguy is already standing.

"Have you been here the whole time?" Gendry scowls at him.

"Unfortunately." Anguy smirks,"How'd you get so lucky?"

Gendry opens his car door and gets in his truck,"I bought a blueberry scone."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big brother Jon absolutely ships Gendrya :)
> 
> Absolute babies, I love them.
> 
> Hope you're enjoying, I can't believe there's only one chapter left :(
> 
> peace and love,  
ohnoshefell


	5. Making Their Maybe Into Their Yes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This wraps up quite nicely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm very emotional, someone hug me.
> 
> I would like to dedicate this to @thelandofnothing my love!!!!!  
and also just ALL of you absolutely crazy for these two in any world and also in mine :) Thank you for liking this fic and loving it as much as it means to me.

Arya was on cloud nine. That was the only way she could describe it. The way her body felt more alive than it ever had been before and all they had done was kiss. It was strange how right his lips felt against hers, how natural it all seemed. It felt magnetic and like the sizzle and sting of freshly forged steel meeting cool water.

She doesn't know how she managed to make it from the pub to her flat with how out of the world she felt, but she does and it's only half past one in the morning. She's as quiet as she can be clambering up the stairs of her flat and opening the door. She's walking to her room when Shireen opens the door to hers, rubbing her eyes and presumably awake for a glass of water.

Upon seeing Arya, she's wide awake and makes a scandalized noise,"Arya! It's almost two in the morning! Are you just getting home?"

Arya smiles sheepishly and nods her head before shushing Shireen and telling her to keep it down or else she'd end up waking Meera.

Shireen rolled her eyes,"She's probably still awake. You know how Meera is. Early bird Mondays through Thursdays and always up at the butt crack of dawn, but as soon as Friday rolls around, she is a night owl through and through."

After a moment of thought and taking in everything Shireen said, Arya nods in agreement before following Shireen into the kitchen and propping herself up on one of the kitchen stools while Shireen poured the both of them water.

Arya finds herself wandering into her own little bubble, reliving the last six hours and wrapping Gendry's denim jacket around her a little tighter when Shireen starts speaking again.

"I don't remember you leaving with a jean jacket?" Shireen tries to hide the smile in her voice,"especially not one five times bigger than you are."

Arya feels her cheeks heating up,"Yeah, that's cause I didn't. It's actually Gendry's. I got cold and yeah."

Shireen openly smiles this time at Arya,"That was sweet of him."

Arya nods, heart hammering in her chest at the simple thought of Gendry having given her his jacket for the night.

"How was it then?"

Arya snaps out of her mini reverie,"Huh?"

Shireen only feels her smile deepen, amused by how bewitched Arya has become.

"Your date," She says slowly, earning an eye roll from Arya,"how was it?"

Arya blushes to herself, hand raising to brush lightly against her lips before she's smiling more to herself than at Shireen before she looks up and is met with a knowing and excited stare from Shireen.

"It was good," Arya pauses," No, it was great. It was- I don't think there's a word for what it was,"Magical? Extraordinary? Incredible? "They all seem to fall short for just how amazing and out of this world..."her voice trails off as her eyes get wider and glow brighter as the feelings from this entire day and night stir in her once more.

"You've got it bad, my friend." Meera says, walking into the kitchen from behind Shireen after having slipped out of her room.

"Mother maiden and crone, seven hells Meera. Don't sneak up on us like that." Shireen says and Arya only laughed at how easily Shireen scares.

Meera snorted,"I barely even snuck up on you, I walked into the kitchen like any normal person would."

"No normal person walks into the kitchen at two in the morning," Shireen shoots back before looking at the accusatory glances from Meera and Arya,"oh shoot, whatever. You know what I mean. I'm here for water. Meera is here for whatever Meera's here for."

"Corn syrup-"

"See! Not normal! What in seven hells do you need corn syrup for at two in the morning."

"Never you mind, sweet girl." Meera pecks Shireen on the cheek and Arya only smiles fondly at the display between her roommates.

Meera turns from looking at Shireen to Arya,"You,"she points at her,"details now."

Arya groans before Meera's speaking again,"It's better you get it out now so you know exactly what to say when you're telling this story a few dozen times to Sansa and Bran and Jon."

Arya only glares before nodding reluctantly in agreement,"I guess that's fair."

Meera smiles widely,"More than. Now tell us!"

* * *

Gendry doesn't think he's smiled this much in his entire life. He doesn't think he's ever felt this light or that his skin ever tingled so much. He blames it all on Arya.

In all his time, he had only gone on a handful of dates (none of which he initiated) and they had always gone the same and ended the same.

Most of them would be spent with him trying to talk about what he liked and trying to find a common ground only for him to quickly realize that those girls had only asked him out for a quick shag at the end of the night and not for the actual potential start of a relationship. Upon each realization every time, he would end the dates the same way, with empty promises of going out again but never following through. 

Why would he? He didn't want to be used for one good night of spontaneous affection and lust and desire.

He wanted a connection. He wanted to feel something. To know that one night wouldn't have to go to waste and that it could actually go somewhere, that it could go to all the places even his wildest dreams hadn't thought of.

He'd never had that before. He'd never had the want to be around someone so much, to hear every little thing they had to say and tell them every single stupid thought that crossed his mind. He had never had that before, but he thinks he does now.

The way time had seemed to pass them by and they had barely noticed because they were too busy swimming in one another and trying to learn the corners of each other's minds in the short span of 6 hours. He's never felt this way before, such an instant attraction and natural gravitation.

He grins to himself as he parks his car outside his flat and heads upstairs. He hadn't imagined this happening. He hadn't even thought it possible. Especially not three weeks ago when the semester had started and he came home from a full day of classes to tell Hot Pie all about the girl who disagreed with him in class and how she might've been right and going on and on about how smart and pretty and witty she was.

He just thought it'd be a crush he would nurse for the rest of the semester silently and that would be all. He didn't think it would lead him to all the places he never even knew he wanted to go.

He's glad he was wrong or at the very least that he was left in the unknown of it all.

He's starting to think all the best things come unexpected. Arya Stark certainly did.

* * *

Arya feels warm all over after having recounted her entire date with Gendry to Meera and Shireen, from meeting Anguy to that 'out of this world' first kiss. They were both left absolutely beaming and she can't help but to wear a smile of her own.

"Oh, Arya! That's absolutely wonderful!" Shireen says with all the vigor and energy somebody shouldn't have this late in the night. Arya thinks it's a good thing tomorrow's Saturday because she doesn't see herself, Shireen or Meera falling asleep anytime soon. They were already well into two in the morning.

"Yeah it is. I didn't even expect any of this to happen, it just sort of did."

Meera's gaze tears Arya away from her thoughts. She has excitement in her eyes and in all the time that Arya has known her, she doesn't think she's ever seen it this profoundly before.

"What?" Arya asks after a beat.

Meera laughs and shakes her head,"Nothing just, thinking about the 11 year old Arya Stark I met who was firm in her beliefs that snogging boys was icky."

Shireen giggles and Arya snorts and rolls her eyes,"I was 11 Meera! All I cared about was playing tag and running around."

Meera just laughs some more before she sobers up and grows a little more serious than any of them are used to.

"I'm glad, you know. That you had a good time and that you found someone you actually like."

Arya smiles and looks back and forth between Shireen and Meera, the former nodding in agreement, but both of their eyes shine honestly with love and sincerity.

Arya's happy. Really, actually happy.

"Me too. I guess it helps that he's somebody worth liking."

And in all truth, she swears on every last blueberry scone that he is.

* * *

Gendry wakes up that morning with a smile on his face and he has never been and never will be a morning person, but much like yesterday morning, he likes this one very much.

Sleeping was seemingly easy and entirely impossible for him last night. He felt like he was floating and like he could drift off into another plane of existence and he had a strong feeling that Arya's lips on his own had something to do with that. But then when he thought about Arya's lips and Arya's eyes and Arya's smile, it seemed like sleep was the last thing he wanted to do, and instead would have rather spent his time thinking up all the ways the gods took their time when they created her.

His phone has a few messages from Anguy and Hot Pie on them. Anguy relaying that the next time he spends that much time in his pub without speaking to him, he'll ban him, which causes him to roll his eyes and laugh to himself. And Hot Pie letting him know he's gone to the bakery to do inventory check of all their coffee and tea and what they need to restock. Hot Pie also mentions how much he wants to know about how the date went.

Underneath the messages from his strange friends is one from Arya, sent at 4 in the morning and he thinks she might be crazy but he also thinks he likes it and he can't stop the smile on his face from growing as he reads her message.

**4:08 a.m.**

**Arya Stark: ** _I like you a lot and maybe might let you take me out again. Okay goodnight. _

_:* Since we've kissed I think it's perfectly acceptable for me to send you a kiss here so deal with it. Okay goodnight for real now. :* (Woah look who's lucky?! 2 kisses!!!)_

He lets out a laugh and confirms what he already knew before. He is absolutely _mad _about Arya Stark.

**10:30 a.m.**

**Gendry Waters: ** _Maybe might? Or definitely yes? Definitely yes please? _

_Good morning to the most wildly beautiful human alive (spoiler alert: that's you.)_

_And I concur with that statement, you can most definitely send kisses through here, although the real thing is so much better. :*_

**Arya Stark:** _Definitely. YES. Was that too over eager? I don't really care. I'm in the middle of breakfast right now with my sister and my roommates( who make the most heavenly pancakes and I will definitely have you over to have them some time), but I might be able to sneak away later on ;) ;) _

_OH! I almost forgot._

_:* _

_:)_

**Gendry Waters:** _I don't think you've noticed how you have me wrapped around your finger, so over eager or not, I'll take it :) Also, that sounds perfect, it hasn't even been a full day yet and I already can't wait to see you again._

_I have to get ready to go drop by Brienne's in a bit, but will most definitely follow up with details for later today. Have fun at breakfast, but don't eat too many pancakes!! You may or may not be receiving some gods awful baked good later on. :*_

He thinks he might've struck a lucky well or something, he's not sure. He just knows that he _really _likes her and he is more than okay with that.

* * *

Sansa is tingling. She thinks she's never been more excited about anything else in her entire life.

"Arya, you kissed him! You kissed a boy!"

Arya rolls her eyes at Sansa,"I've kissed boys before you know."

Sansa shakes her head,"Micah and Lommy do not count."

"And why not?"

When she had invited Sansa over for breakfast this morning, this wasn't what she had in mind.

She had imagined eating pancakes with her sister and roommates while they drank orange juice and then she would slowly ease her way into telling her older sister all about her date last night. But then Gendry sent her a sickly sweet good morning text that had her grinning from ear to ear and blushing almost as red as the strawberries on Sansa's plate, and eating pancakes was long forgotten altogether as she promptly typed out a quick text back and Sansa made her spill every single thing that went down last night.

"You kissed Micah because of spin the bottle and Lommy because of your school play in 10th grade." Sansa points out and Arya only huffs in indignation.

"Whatever."

Sansa laughs,"oh, don't be like that. What was it like?" Sansa's voice is soft and she got that dreamy look on her face whenever her mind was taken over with the romantics of fresh love.

She hoped Sansa would get all the happiness and excitement she deserved.

"It was like every sappy romance novel you're obsessed with."

Sansa's eyes widen,"don't tease me, Arya." She points a finger at her.

Arya laughs before placing three pancakes on her plate and drowning them in syrup,"I'm not! I swear. Ask Meera and Shireen."

Sansa turns her gaze to them and they only nod, wearing identical smiles of amusement only the Stark sisters seemed to evoke out of them.

She looks back at Arya and whatever words she had been planning on saying dies on her tongue at the sight of Arya smiling down at her phone again and typing away. Sansa smiles to herself.

She likes this Gendry. If he makes Arya smile this much, she likes him a lot.

* * *

"So you kissed her then?"

Hot Pie, who was supposed to be counting and restocking tea bags, was absolutely eating up every last bit of hearing about Gendry's date with Arya.

It's strange, Hot Pie thinks, how he had only known Arya for such a short amount of time, but upon knowing her, he knew how good she and Gendry would be together.

Especially since Gendry never seemed to shut up about her.

Gendry nods as he trails off to a place in his mind that has been very much taken over by Arya Stark and the many ways that she has invaded all his senses.

"Who would've thought?" Hot Pie laughs, pulling Gendry from his thoughts. He can't find it in himself to disagree. Who _would have_ thought?

Gendry only smiles at him, "Not me."

"You guys going out again?" Hot Pie's eyes are absolutely alight with happiness for his friend

Gendry nods, casting down a quick glance at his phone in his hands, which had buzzed. Hot Pie only smiles.

Knowing Gendry for most of his life gave Hot Pie the advantage of knowing whenever something had truly moved Gendry or when something actually inspired hope within him.

The instances where either of those two things occurred happened far and few in between.

It's what makes Hot Pie glad Gendry and he had managed to end up in university together and to have outgrown the feeling of lacking a home having grown up in foster care with one another.

It's what also tells Hot Pie that this thing with Arya that Gendry has going on isn't just a _thing. _It's something rare, something one in a million, something that's actually going to go somewhere, that's good for Gendry.

While Hot Pie might not know Arya half as well as he knows Gendry, what he does know about her he likes.

She's obscenely obsessed with the blueberry scones they sell which makes him feel a bit happy and proud because it's his modification of Brienne's recipe that they make at the bakery.

She also always cleans up her table whenever she's done at the bakery on account of 'wanting to leave as little mess as possible' and wanting to make their lives and jobs a little more easier and a little less unbearable.

Another thing he liked about her was when one customer had taken to bad mouthing Brienne, she stepped in and told him to shove off if he had such a problem and if he didn't, she'd 'stick it where the sun don't shine'. He promptly left and had never shown his face in the bakery ever since.

But perhaps what Hot Pie likes most about her is how she's managed to make Gendry smile more in three days than he has all month. That Gendry seems more willing to engage in conversation (Hot Pie considers this a tremendous feat given how unbearable Gendry deems human interaction). That Gendry has actually managed to wake up willingly and happily at the ring of one alarm rather than three at seven in the morning these past few days.

He doesn't know Arya, but Gendry does. And Gendry likes her.

Refilling the muffin tray and stealing a glance at Gendry smiling and shaking his head at his phone while he types out a response, Hot Pie decides for certain that he likes Arya too.

* * *

After having been invited over to his flat for a late lunch, trying and failing to give him back his denim jacket and the pair of them spiraling through time all over again much like last night, Arya finds herself pressed against Gendry's couch, with Gendry very much above her, hands wildly roaming the planes of her body, her own tangled in his hair and his lips hot and smooth and hungry over her own.

They break away to catch their breaths, leaning their foreheads against one another.

"You know I'm surprised." She says against his lips a little breathless. He pulls his head back and smiles, his face scrunching up a bit in confusion.

She laughs and leans up to peck him quickly before throwing her head down on the couch cushion beneath her.

"What surprises you?" He moves a strand of hair from her cheek and it falls to the side, framing her face softly.

"Just that I ate that blueberry scone you bought me right before you started kissing me senseless and you seem to harbor no complaints about it." Her eyes were shining with amusement. 

She wasn't wrong and he thought about it and came to the conclusion that blueberry scones might have some redeemable qualities if they taste a little like Arya.

He drops his head and kisses her cheek and kisses his way down her neck. He reaches her collarbone and kisses lightly along it while her breath comes in short.

He lifts his head to meet her wondrous gaze and smiles at all the emotions he sees there. His body rushes with a new wave of fondness.

"Blueberry scones are still absolute shit," She shoves his shoulder lightly and they smile at each other, "but," he eyes her, "they taste a little better on you."

Her eyes widen a bit at his words and in an instant she pulls him back down to her, kissing him with all the ferocity she had in her and he finds that he's right.

Blueberry scones _do _taste better on her.

* * *

It's when his hands are tangled in her hair, tugging at it earning him sounds he's convinced were fashioned by the gods for his ears only, limbs a tangled mess and lips slanting over on another that her phone starts buzzing wildly on his night stand.

They had moved their previous activities to his bedroom where they wouldn't have to worry about Hot Pie walking in on them in a very compromising position.

They had managed to ignore her phone buzzing the first two times, but decided after the third buzz, someone must've been dying to reach her.

They break apart and she sits up, reaching for her phone, blinking brightly with Jon's name.

She answers it while Gendry kisses her bare shoulder, her top having been discarded on the floor of his bedroom after she decided she wanted his hands all over her.

"Someone better be dying, Jon." She huffs, causing Gendry to laugh against where his lips were placed on the back of her neck.

"I am." He says gleefully.

"What?"

"It's me. I'm dying. Dying to know how last night went." He speaks and Arya rolls her eyes.

"That's it? That's what you've interrupted the very good fun I'm having for?"

"Yes! Come over tonight? Bran bought pizza rolls."

Arya sighs, "Yes, yes. I'm hanging up now, getting back to that fun I was having before you ruined it." Arya hangs up the phone and puts it back on Gendry's night table before turning towards him again.

He's wearing a goofy smile on his face and it pulls a short laugh from Arya.

"What?"

"Is that all I am to you? Very good fun?"

Arya laughs longer and louder this time before pushing Gendry back on his bed and sitting astride him, her hands resting on his chest. He's looking up at her like she's put all the stars in the sky and it takes her breath away a little.

"Not all. You're also my very good blueberry scone connection if I ever need one." She smirks before she's kissing him again and he's returning it eagerly and happily.

He pulls away briefly, "Maybe we could add something else to my already very impressive withstanding titles." His words are firm but she can hear some nerves hidden in his voice.

Her eyes soften and she interlocks her hands with his before sliding them up over his head and leaning down, lips brushing lightly against one another.

"Maybe." She breathes and he flips them over and they’re in a frenzy of kissing and tugging and moaning all over again and it only tells them what they already know about maybe.

Laughing and pulling one another, Arya lets time go by because she's never felt this way, never felt so ready, so happy, so _right _and she decides that Jon and Bran and their pizza rolls and smash bros. could wait a little while. 

They could wait however long she wanted them to because here with Gendry she was a little busy making their maybe into their yes.

* * *

They didn't get as far as they had wanted to, tangled in his bed together, on account of Bran calling her and she's certain her brothers were keenly aware that they were cock-blocking her but she didn't care. In a few short minutes, she'd be kicking their asses for it.

She looked a little more wild than when she had arrived at Gendry's flat four hours ago at three in the late afternoon. Her hair had fallen over her shoulders and she looked kept together, expression smiling and complexion clear and glowing.

She was still glowing, only now her cheeks were pink and her lips were a little red and her hair was just a bit more voluminous than it was when she had arrived, all thanks to Gendry's lips and Gendry's hands and Gendry's everything.

He walked her down to her car and left her with a kiss that had her wishing she really didn't have to go to Bran and Jon's. 

He waits for her to drive off until he goes back inside his flat and she's left in her car driving down the road, practically bouncing in her seat about everything that's happened over the last few days.

How she had started out in a piss poor mood nearly three days ago to now being unbelievably happy were two things she could only credit to Gendry and she was entirely beyond questioning them.

She drives a little more and pulls into a parking spot around the corner from Jon and Bran's and walks to their flat, more unprepared than she had been yesterday to see them. 

Before she even has a chance at knocking this time, the door opens completely, accompanied by a grinning Bran holding out a plate of pizza rolls to Arya, who gladly takes one before stepping inside.

"Hello there, munchkin." Bran says, dropping a kiss to the top of her head.

"I'm older than you." She glares halfheartedly. 

Bran snorts, "Yeah, by like 2 years. Not a terribly large age gap."

"Whatever." She moves past him and walks into the kitchen, pulling out a bottle of snapple from the fridge and setting it down on the counter after taking a few sips.

"Where's Jon?"

Bran smiles, "He's-"

"Right here, sunshine." Jon walks in from the back of the hallway, immediately sweeping Arya into a hug that has her feet off the ground.

Arya would like to pretend she's mad, but being hugged by Jon will always be one of her favorite things.

"Put me down." She laughs and he reluctantly sets her on the ground.

"How'd your date go?" Jon asked and at the sight of her rapidly reddening cheeks, he only smiles.

He'd never seen his baby sister so flustered before, so stricken with emotions of liking someone so much it made your heart race and cheeks go pink and caused your smile to deepen.

It's not that Arya had never shown an interest in dating. It's just that she never liked anybody enough to let it get this far, let it affect her this deeply before.

As he, Bran and Arya gather around and sit on the couch while she relays to them everything that happened last night with her wide grey eyes and her smile like he's never seen it before, he thinks he's glad that this was all happening for Arya.

Being loved by Arya was something special, and while he's not quick to call this love, he's certain that she's going to fall fast for this Gendry. He's okay with it and doesn't think it would matter much if he wasn't because this Gendry seems to have already fallen pretty hard for Arya.

Bran just smiles and laughs at everything Arya has to say from Anguy spilling beer all over himself to Gendry giving her his jacket and he thinks Bran approves too.

"At what point during your date last night did your shirt flip inside out?" Bran asks cheekily while pointing at Arya's top after she finishes her retelling of her date last night.

Jon hadn't even noticed and Arya looks down at her top and starts blushing furiously.

Jon squints his eyes at Arya, "Yeah, little missy. At what point?"

Arya snorts, "At no point last night did this happen," She says matter of factly before gesturing at her top and smirking at the pair of them, "_this _happened about an hour or two ago, right before the two of you so rudely interrupted the good time I was having."

Jon just stares at her, eyes wide and mouth hanging open a little and Bran just shakes his head.

Arya rolls her eyes, "oh don't give me that wounded puppy look Jon, I was happily getting action."

Jon just stares at her some more before his glare falls flat and his expression settles into a soft one with a smile, "You're right. I'm sorry. You're just, I mean. You've grown up so quickly-"

"She's still 5 feet Jon-"

Arya shoves Bran's shoulder and they all laugh.

"I'm glad though. Glad you're-" he grimaces a bit, "getting action."

Arya smiles and throws her arms around Jon in a hug, "Thanks."

"Me too! Get some!" Bran says excitedly and Arya turns her smile to him.

"Oh I will. But for now," She stands up and reaches for three controllers, "I'm going to get me some different type of action. Ready to have your asses handed to you on a silve platter?"

"You kiss your mother with that mouth?" Jon asks.

"No, but I kiss Gendry with-"

"Alright, enough! Let's play."

* * *

The following days after that were met with Gendry and Arya talking nonstop with one another, finding any and all reasons to send each other messages.

From silly photos of themselves or of their classmates caught completely off guard dozing off to things that reminded them of the other. They were absolutely mad for one another and were more than glad to enable the growing attraction they saved for each other.

On the few days where her classes ran a little later than usual, he'd surprise her with a blueberry scone and on days where she'd wake up earlier than him she'd save their seats at the bakery and give him extra kisses.

It's on a Friday, when they're three weeks into this completely new and exciting cycle, walking up the stairs to their Westerosi Art History lecture while he's telling her all about why the second Annabelle movie redeems how utterly horrible the first one was that they finally set a label.

"Since we're on the topic of horror movies, do you want to come with me to Jon and Bran's tonight? We were supposed to have another horror movie marathon at my place, but Shireen doesn't want to associate demons with our flat, although I've explained plenty that location doesn't matter, it's people they attach themselves to and yeah," Arya stops her ramble to smile at him, "Would you like to go with me?"

His eyes go a little wide at that. He'd heard all about Arya's family in all the time they've been spending together and they all sounded pretty great and close and warm, all the things he hadn't really grown up with but was more than willing to welcome into his life. He just didn't think Arya would want him to meet the people she cares most about so soon.

"You want me to go with you?" His voice is a little high and it makes Arya laugh a little.

"Yeah, I mean unless you're just pretending to like horror movies to seem tough. I'll protect you if it's such a problem." She winks.

He shakes his head and feels a smile work its way over his features,"I like horror movies. But I'll take your protection either way. But you really want me to go with you?"

Arya rolls her eyes as Gendry opens the door to their class for them and they walk in.

"Yes stupid. I'd like for my friends and family to meet my boyfriend, if only to get them to stop badgering me about meeting you."

Gendry feels his heart stop and then beat entirely too fast all at once and it's like he's falling off the face of the earth and floating up into the sky.

"Boyfriend? Me, I'm- me?"

Arya snorts,"Unless it's somebody else who looks a great deal like you that I've been snogging any and everywhere and go on numerous dates with," her faces scrunches up a little,"I thought we made that clear the day after our first date, you know when we were talking about your 'impressive titles'. Did I read that wrong?"

Gendry shakes his head unbelievably fast side to side, "No, not at all! You read it completely right."

Arya's eyes seemed to settle at that and she gave him a rare shy smile as they took their seats next to one another.

"I'm your boyfriend." He mutters to her in the middle of the lecture and she shoots him an amused look and nods her head slowly.

"I know," she leans to his side and he scoots closer, "I'm your girlfriend." 

Gendry doesn't think he'd ever believe it but he's not going to try and stop it for a second. He was Arya Stark's boyfriend and she was his girlfriend. 

He doesn't know how he got so damn lucky.

* * *

"It's going to be Meera, Shireen, Sansa, Bran and Jon. Hot Pie can come too, if he'd like!" She says excitedly. They were exiting the classroom.

He nods at her and smiles, "I'll let him know all the details later on."

"Perfect. Okay, so I'll pick you up from your place later tonight and we can just head to their flat together since yours is already on the way to my brother's. Sound good?" Arya says as they're walking out of Crone's Hall together, hand in hand.

Gendry smiles down at her, "Sounds absolutely perfect." He drops a kiss to the top of her head and she wonders if his heart flutters the same way hers does anytime they share their affection with one another.

She also wonders if it's something that'll ever stop and thinks it probably won't and she's more than fine with that.

They drive to the bakery together and seal their goodbye with a kiss before parting ways until later that night.

After driving back home and heading upstairs, she immediately sets out to calling her brothers and letting them know that Gendry would be joining them and they'd have to be on their absolute best behavior if they ever wanted her to bring him to any future movie marathons or drunk karaoke nights.

After hanging up she turns to Meera and Shireen who are just standing at the doorway of her bedroom wearing identical mischievous grins.

"What now?" She says dryly.

"Nothing, just hadn't been aware we'd finally be meeting your _boyfriend._" Meera says cheekily and Arya rolls her eyes but the smile on her face betrays whatever annoyance she was trying to play off.

"Oh relax. It's not like it's been long."

"Three weeks is like a century Arya!" Shireen exclaims, arms waving everywhere.

Arya laughs, "Three weeks is like three weeks, Shireen."

"Whatever, you get my point! It's about damn time is all I'm trying to say. Sansa's going to flip."

"Sansa always flips, that's been established since before she was born." Arya points out but she doesn't fight the butterflies in her stomach at the notion of Gendry meeting her brothers and sister and best friends.

It made her feel warm and she was excited. She wonders what her younger self would say, what she would think. In her adolescence, she hadn't paid much attention to romance but she thinks that's okay. She probably wouldn't be where she was now if she had.

She's found she's more than okay with the fact that she didn't worry herself with having a boyfriend when she was younger because she had one now. 

She's also found she rather liked having a boyfriend. She liked it a lot.

* * *

Hot Pie had been more than happy to agree to hanging out with Gendry and Arya and whoever else, that much was clear when Gendry had told him about the plans for that night and Hot Pie happily accepted the invitation.

Now Gendry was sat, nerves eating away at his very core because he was actually doing this, he was actually going to meet most of Arya's family and as much as it terrified him, it also made him feel a rush of joy.

His heart surged with fondness with how more than ready Arya was for him to know every part of her and know her family and he could only return that with his own smiles and nervous laughter that she deemed adorable.

He was sat in his flat, waiting for Arya when there was a knock on his door and he opened it only to be met with the sight of his girlfriend, his _girlfriend. _

He pulls her in and their lips are on each other in an instant before they're pulling away and she's closing the door behind them and then throwing herself on him all over again.

He laughs at the unexpectedness of the situation but more than happily returns her affection. They stay like that for a bit, one of his arms circling her waist while his other hand cups her face gently and her arms are around his neck, pulling at the hairs on the nape while their lips memorize each other and they smile against one another before she pulls away for air and rests her forehead against his.

They breathe in and out and stay wrapped up in each other.

"That's my new favorite way you've said hello to me." He teases and she laughs before she shoves him.

"Shut up." 

And he does, only to place a kiss to her forehead before he's smiling that big goofy smile she's learned she likes a lot.

"Why didn't you call me down?" He asks and she raises her eyebrow at him.

"We've gone from that's my new favorite greeting to why?" She jokes and his eyes widen before she's throwing her head in laughter and he relaxes before scowling at her.

"Very funny. My girlfriend, Arya Stark, ladies and gentlemen."

She sticks her tongue out at him before speaking again"I didn't think that'd be as comfortable to do in my car plus I want to get in as much of that before we head over to Jon and Bran's because everybody loves to stick to me during scary scenes so I don't know how much of my sweet lovin' you'll be getting there." 

Gendry just snorts and laughs a little before pulling her to him again, "What time do we have to be there by?"

"Seven." Arya nods.

He tugs her until her body is pressed against his, "What time is it now?"

Arya glances at the cable box to their left which reads 6:45,"6:45."

His hands weave their way through her hair and she closes her eyes and hums contently.

"How long does it take to get there?"

His nose is touching hers and their lips are lightly brushing against one another and she thinks she might've gone into sensory overload.

"Who the hells cares?" Is all she says before she finally kisses him and he walks them backwards until the back of her knees hit the couch and he's hovering over her all over again, like the day after their first date and all the other days they'd manage to sneak off into his flat to map their way across the others body.

He pulls at her hair and she gasps a little and he takes the opportunity to let his tongue trace the seams right through her lips and he knows she agrees with every single thing he's doing because of her 'hmm's' and her gasps and how she breathes his name out into the air around them when he pulls away from her lips to kiss his way down her neck. 

It's like every part of him was on fire in the best way possible and he knew it was all because of Arya beneath him, with her hands tugging at his hair and grabbing onto whatever part of him she can, wrapping her legs around him and kissing his lips, his cheeks, his jaw and sucking her way down his neck and making him realize that everything amazing, everything _good, _no matter how long it takes, how hard it is to find, is always worth the wait.

They pull apart to look at each other and they both see all the things they had never known they wanted, all the things they didn't know they had been waiting for until now.

It's what makes them spend a little extra time together, more time together than they should before they leave. It's what makes them realize that this would only get better and better and would never cease to excite them and terrify them and make them feel whole.

It's also what makes them show up to her brother's flat late for the movie marathon and she would be sorry about looking like such a mess if everything that had happened before hadn't been so breathtaking, so wonderful, so _magic. _

"Well, well, well. Look who decided to show up after all." Meera says as Arya walks in, pulling Gendry in by her hand behind her. 

Meera closes the door behind them and goes back to sitting around the kitchen island where Bran and Jon were.

"Like you waited that long." Arya snorts while Gendry walks to stand by her side. 

He looks kind of like a deer in headlights and it makes her heart swell a little before she's introducing him to everyone.

"Everyone this is Gendry, my boyfriend," She pauses to roll her eyes at Bran and Meera's whistling, Sansa squealing and Shireen and Jon just smiling like the two love sick saps that they were. 

"Gendry this is Jon," She points to where he's by, the kitchen island, making sandwiches for everybody. He smiles at Gendry before asking if he wants swiss or provolone on his sandwich.

"That's Bran and that's Meera," She pointed to the pair of them, seated by Jon while he made sandwiches and slapped Bran's hand away any time he'd try to steal a slice of provolone. Meera saluted him and he nodded back while Bran waved and smiled.

"Sansa, my sister." Sansa got up and walked over to hug Gendry, catching him completely off guard but he hugged back anyways. Sansa walks back and sits on the comfy arm chair by the couch.

"And Shireen." Shireen was sitting on the floor in front of the television, sorting through the movies they had lined up for that night. She smiles at Gendry and waves and he smiles back.

Arya walks over and sits on the couch across from Shireen, Gendry sitting down beside her.

"What's the lineup for tonight?" Gendry asks, earning surprised but delighted smiles from both Arya and Shireen.

Shireen looks down at the DVD's in front of her, "Uh, we've got 'The Conjuring 1 & 2', Pans Labyrinth-"

"Pans Labyrinth is hardly a horror movie!" Arya exclaims.

"I'm sorry, pale man anybody? The creepiest thing to ever grace cinematic history?" Sansa counters.

"Oh, you are all a bunch of pansies!" 

Gendry laughs from beside Arya and she shoots him a smile before getting up.

"I'm going to head to the bathroom. Are you going to be okay?"

He nods and Sansa rolls her eyes, "Oh relax, Arya. We're not going to eat him."

Arya snorts, "Whatever. I'm off, I'll be back." She leans down and gives Gendry a kiss on the lips before walking down the hallway and ignoring the pointed stares Meera and her brothers were sending her.

She thinks she might have to get used to ignoring their knowing looks and cocky smiles with how much she liked kissing Gendry and how she had no plans of ever stopping.

* * *

They'd all long finished their sandwiches and had gotten comfortable around one another to watch the movies and true to her word, there were mountains of people between he and Arya as they all clung to her in whatever scared them.

The only one not clinging to her was Jon and that was because Jon was clinging to him, but he found he didn't mind. While they had eaten their sandwiches, he found he had a lot in common with Jon apart from Arya.

They both preferred soccer to rugby, they both liked chips ahoy instead of oreos, and they both like the second Shrek a whole lot more than the first one.

Halfway through the first conjuring, Meera announces she has to use the bathroom and the movie is put on pause, giving everyone a moment to stretch and readjust themselves.

Arya catches Gendry's eye and he can't fight the smile working its way on his face. She smiles back and shoots him a wink which causes a short laugh to escape past his lips.

They can't seem to stop gazing at one another and everyone seems to notice but they don't mind one bit. Why would they when they're so wrapped up in one another?

Jon and Bran's doorbell ringing is what eventually snaps them out of their private little bubble and Jon heads to open the door. Everybody on the inside of the flat is met with the sight of Hot Pie standing there with a few blue paper bags in hand and a wide grin spread over his face.

"Hot Pie!" Arya says excitedly and Jon quickly lets him in after introducing himself and everyone else in the room that Hot Pie didn't already know. Meera walks back into the living room from the bathroom and smiles in greeting at Hot Pie before introducing herself.

Hot Pie added some much needed lightness to the air in the room after nearly an hour and a half of horror. He greets his flat mate happily while Arya gets up from her side of the couch to give him a quick hug before stealing Jon's seat and sitting back down next to Gendry and tucking herself into his side.

Gendry kisses the side of her head and Arya smiles to herself.

"What's in the bags?" Gendry asks as Hot Pie settles himself in between Meera and Shireen, the former offering him a bottle of ale which he happily accepts.

He beams at Gendry and Arya in each other's arms, right where they should be.

"I bought scones!"

* * *

"I'm proud of you. You managed to survive half of my family and my friends." Arya says to him as they leave Jon and Bran's flat together.

Meera, Shireen and Sansa had discussed plans of bar hopping and managed to convince Hot Pie to go with them, if only for an hour before he'd head home later on. Bran and Jon had retreated to their bedrooms after bidding goodbye to everyone and making promises of doing this again and going on about how utterly amazing Hot Pie's scones were.

Gendry just rolls his eyes at her, "It's not like it was hard."

"Oh no? I seem to recall a very nervous Gendry today after class, hyperventilating on the spot about-"

"Alright, alright, I get it. Ha ha." Arya laughs at the flatness of his voice and he just smiles at her.

"It's not like it was hard though, I'm serious. I mean, if they're related to you, they're bound to at least be a _little _awesome." 

She laughs and he joins her before they get in her car and drive to back to his flat. As she parks the car and kills the engine she turns to look over at him to see him already looking at her. She just shakes her head and they both step out of the car before heading upstairs and inside. 

As soon as they're behind closed doors, she smiles up at him a little breathless, "Do you ever _not _do that?"

"Not do what?" He says confused.

"Not look at me like _that._"

He laughs, "Like what?"

"Like the way you did in the car. Or the way you did on our first date and our second date and any other time we've seen each other since." Her voice is soft and wavers a bit like she can't quite believe that this is where she was, that this where Gendry buying her blueberry scone three weeks ago would have landed her.

"I don't know. Do _you _ever not do _that?_" He asks in turn.

Her face scrunches up as she walks towards where he is and grabs his hand, "What do I do?"

He begins walking them to his bedroom and she just smiles at him while he begins to speak, "You surprise me."

"How?" She laughs with wide eyes as they make it to his room and she closes the door behind them.

"Imagine every single thing you've ever thought about and how utterly irrelevant or stupid some thoughts may be and how you want somebody to tell them to but you don't have anybody you want to tell everything to. And then you do."

She stands in front of him and his hands slide up her arms before they're resting on the sides of her neck, his thumb stroking her jaw.

"Imagine seeing and knowing the most beautiful, entirely way too smart for her own good person you've ever seen or known, and getting to call her yours."

Her arms wrap around his middle as she looks up at him.

"Imagine getting everything you've ever wanted completely by accident and without knowing you were looking for it and not taking any of it back for a single second because you are where you _want_ to be, where you're _meant _to be, where you never thought you _could_ be."

Her breath hitches in her throat as she stands on her toes to kiss him and he cradles her head in his hands while he kisses her back in earnest. It would always feel like the first time, she decides, with the rapid quickening of her heartbeat and the flow of warmth pulsing through her.

She'll never know and she'll never care about why her early lecture class had been cancelled, why professor Baelish gave her a C on her paper, or why her mother sent her all those angry texts all those weeks ago on that day she was supposed to buy herself a blueberry scone and ended up with nothing but a bad mood. 

She doesn't care about not knowing any of that because she knows _this. _She knows that she didn't actually end up with nothing, not really, not when she ended up with Gendry.

She knows why Gendry bought her blueberry scone, why Gendry stole her parking spot and why he stole her seat.

She knows how his bottom lip quivers whenever she lightly bites down on it, she knows how his hands feel in her hair and how they feel when they grab onto her waist and how he smiles against her mouth whenever he likes what she's doing.

She knows how this isn't just some fleeting thing completely sprung on her by chance. 

She also knows that she might sound a little crazy and that its only been three weeks, but she knows this is going to last. She knows that not getting what she wanted one day landed her getting what she didn't know she needed everyday.

She pulls away to look at him and she knows what he's talking about now, about why he can't stop looking at her the way he looks at her because it's how she's looking at him. It's how, she thinks, she's always going to look at him.

He smiles at her before capturing her lips again and kissing her with fresh fervor and Arya knows one more thing.

She knows she'd never buy another blueberry scone again if it got her Gendry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe I finished 'Blueberry Scone' my baby!!!!
> 
> Kind of bummed but super happy that I wrapped up this little tooth rotting fic and gave these babies all the fluffiness in the world that they deserve.
> 
> This verse is definitely not closed, so any requests for gendrya in the blueberry scone verse I will gladly take :)
> 
> This was fun.
> 
> Thank you for liking, loving, commenting, bookmarking every single little thing, it means the world and I love you all.
> 
> peace and love,  
ohnoshefell

**Author's Note:**

> :) Let me know what you think!!
> 
> I had to put this out here before uploading my next chapter of Remember Us because I didn't want to do injustice to 'Remember Us' by half assing it.
> 
> peace and love,
> 
> ohnoshefell


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